TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Companies Bill

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to introduce the proposed Companies Bill.

Melanie Johnson: The Government are carefully considering the comments made in response to the White Paper 'Modernising Company Law' (Cm 5553), including those in the Trade and Industry Committee's report on the White Paper (HC 439) published last week. A further announcement will be made to Parliament in due course.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of her staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year.

Patricia Hewitt: In the financial year 2001–02 164 staff took sick leave attributed to mental health problems.

Regional Development Agencies (Budgets)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria she has used in determining the budget allocations to individual regional development agencies in 2003–04.

Alan Johnson: The budget for Regional Development Agencies is allocated between RDAs using a formula which takes into account nine weighted indictors of need and opportunity. Provision has also been made to ensure that no RDA will receive less in 2003–04 than in previous years.
	The nine indicators are:
	An allocation for each RDA to cover common administrative overheads;
	Population size;
	Gross Domestic Product per head, where the richest regions get zero;
	Research and development expenditure per head with the weakest regions benefiting most;
	Population in rural areas with low productivity;
	The number of people living in the most deprived 10 per cent. of wards;
	The 100 poorest authorities in terms of unemployment rate;
	The amount of derelict land and pre-used land with planning permission;
	The proportion of the working age population classed a partly skilled or unskilled.
	The three indicators with the highest weightings are unemployment, deprivation and gross domestic product.

TRANSPORT

Low Cost Airlines

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage the use of spare capacity at regional airports for low cost airlines.

David Jamieson: The Government support the growth, subject to it being sustainable, of regional airports to meet local demand for air travel and we anticipate low cost airlines will make a major contribution to achieving this. Chapter 3 of our regional consultation documents sets out a range of possible policy mechanisms for delivering our objectives. The consultation closes on 30 June, and we will publish the Air Transport White Paper in late 2003.

Sizewell

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft have flown over the power stations since the airspace over Sizewell A and B power stations was invaded 18 months ago.

John Spellar: Aircraft are not permitted to fly within two nautical miles of Sizewell below a height of 2000 ft. There have been no confirmed breaches of this restriction since November 2001.

Airport Security

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on plans to change overnight security arrangements at UK airports.

John Spellar: The department's aviation security requirements do not differentiate between day time and night time operations. I will draw to the attention of colleagues in the relevant departments the hon. Member's particular concern about late hours coverage at airports by Customs and Immigration staff, so that they may respond direct.

Crossrail

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials within his Department are engaged in examining the Crossrail proposals; when he will announce the Government's preferred option for Crossrail line 1; and if he will make a statement on the Crossrail project.

David Jamieson: Currently, around half a dozen Departmental officials are substantially engaged on Crossrail-related work, among other duties, involving a range of other officials within the Department as necessary. As regards an announcement on Crossrail, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Transport to the hon. Members for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey), and for Ilford South (Mike Gapes), on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 149.

Cyclists

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what regulations are in force governing cyclists' conduct when using joint cycle and pedestrian paths;
	(2)  what requirements there are for cyclists to warn other road users of their presence when using joint cycle and pedestrian paths.

David Jamieson: On cycle tracks, cyclists and pedestrians may be segregated or they may share the same space. Highway authorities use signs and markings from the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 to indicate the part of the route which is allocated for cyclists and for pedestrians. On segregated tracks, cyclists must keep to the side intended for their use.
	The Highway Code advises cyclists to take care when passing pedestrians, especially children, elderly or disabled people on cycle tracks, and allow them plenty of room. The code also advises that cyclists should slow down and stop for pedestrians if necessary. The law applying to dangerous and careless cycling applies on cycle tracks as it does on the road. Under the Road Traffic Act 1991, the two worst cycling offences attract maximum fines of £2,500 (for dangerous cycling) and £1,000 (for careless cycling).
	There are no specific requirements for cyclists to warn other users of their presence on a cycle track. However, the Highway Code advises cyclists that they should be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and to let them know of their presence by ringing their bell. In April this year, the Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations 2003 were published, coming into force on 1 May 2004. These will make it a requirement for a bell to be fitted on a bicycle by manufacturers at the point of sale. The Regulation will enhance the safety of pedestrians sharing space with cyclists, and had been requested for some time by groups representing pedestrians and disabled people.

Departmental Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

David Jamieson: In 2001–02, my Department's total expenditure on advertising was £9.85 million to £8.62 million on the THINK! road safety campaign and £1.22 million to promote the Traveline public transport information line.
	In 2002–03, the total estimated expenditure on advertising was £10.195 million to 9.5 million on the THINK! road safety campaign, £299,000 on the Airports consultation exercise, £274,000 on Traveline and £122,000 on the new Vehicle Identity Checking scheme. These figures are subject to final audit.
	The planned expenditure for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is estimated at £10 million in each year.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

David Jamieson: We will continue to monitor budgets very closely to ensure the most effective use of resources. I expect that, once the figures have been finalised, my Department's outturn for 2002–03 will have been very close to budget.

Foreign Flag Vessels

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign flag vessels were inspected by the Maritime Coastguard Agency in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) has inspected the following numbers of foreign flag vessels in each of the last five years.
	
		
			 Year Number of foreign flagged vessels inspected under Port State Control 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,980 
			 1999–2000 1,801 
			 2000–01 1,803 
			 2001–02 1,765 
			 2002–03 1,744

Foreign Flag Vessels

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criteria will be for inspecting foreign flag vessels in UK ports when the port state control directive comes into force.

David Jamieson: The UK will inspect foreign flag vessels in UK ports according to the criteria set out in the new Article 7 of EU Directive 2001/106/EC which comes into force on 22 July 2003. High risk ships posing the greatest threat to the safety of crew and passengers and to the environment will be targeted for inspection.
	The target factor is determined by ship type, Flag, Classification Society, ship age, and previous inspection record. High risk ships, based on type and age, such as oil tankers over 15 years of age with a high target factor, will have a mandatory expanded inspection every 12 months. Any ship with a very high target factor and one month since last inspection will also have a mandatory inspection.

Motorcycling

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings have been held in each of the last four years of the Government's Advisory Group on Motorcycling; and when a national motorcycling policy will be published.

David Jamieson: Since its inception, the Advisory Group on Motorcycling has met as follows:
	1999—3 times
	2000—3 times
	2001—2 times
	2002—3 times
	2003—2 times so far.
	The next meeting should be in September.
	The Government expect to determine their strategy for motorcycling next year.

National Museums of Scotland (Concorde)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the loan or donation of a Concorde by British Airways to the National Museums of Scotland.

David Jamieson: The Department has not received any representations in relation to the approach of the National Museums of Scotland to British Airways.

Number Plates

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many number plate suppliers have registered under the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001; what checks have been carried out to ensure number plate manufacturers and suppliers are complying with the Act; how many vehicle identity check centres have been established and on what basis their location was decided; how many VIC checks have been completed to date; how many checks resulted in refusal to register a vehicle; and what the most common reasons for refusal to register a vehicle were.

David Jamieson: Both the registration of number plate suppliers and vehicle identity checks (VICs) form part of the Government's programme to reduce vehicle crime. They are specifically designed to combat vehicle ringing and cloning (the practice of disguising the identity of stolen vehicles or vehicles used for unlawful purposes.)
	As of 16 May, 26,445 number plate suppliers representing 31,977 retail outlets were registered with DVLA.
	Since 1 March enforcement powers have rested with the police and local authorities. They have been fully briefed on the legislation. DVLA has received several requests for clarification from these authorities and reports that inspections of premises have been carried out. A DVLA team is being set up to provide support to the police and local authorities for those purposes.
	Since the introduction of the vehicle identity check (VIC) scheme on 7 April. 69 inspections have been carried out in Great Britain and one in Northern Ireland. Two vehicles tested in Great Britain have failed. A total of 54 test sites have been established.

Pollution (UK Waters)

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum penalty is for the (a) owners and (b) operators of vessels causing pollution in UK waters.

David Jamieson: Pollution in UK waters can be caused by various substances. The following gives the maximum penalties for each different substance.
	
		
			 Type ofpollution Maximum penalty onsummary conviction (£) Maximum penalty onconviction on indictment 
		
		
			 Oil 250,000 owner and manager A fine owner and manager 
			 Garbage 25,000 owner and manager A fine owner and manager 
			 Chemical 25,000 owner A fine owner

Pollution (UK Waters)

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vessels were prosecuted for pollution incidents in UK waters in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: Individual harbour authorities prosecute pollution incidents within harbour authority limits, and the Department has no figures regarding the numbers of their prosecutions. Outside of those areas, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) deal with prosecutions. They have conducted the following numbers of prosecutions.
	
		
			  Number of prosecutions 
		
		
			 1998 6 
			 1999 3 
			 2000 2 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 2

Rail Subsidies

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of subsidy Virgin West Coast Railways will receive over the remaining length of its franchise; and what the level was in the original contract.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority is currently in the process of re-negotiating the Virgin West Coast franchise. The level of subsidy to be paid to Virgin has not yet been determined.

Regional Airports Consultation

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reason is for the lower age limit of 16 for eligibility to complete the Regional Airports Consultation questionnaire; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: There is no age eligibility criterion for completing the airports' questionnaire. We welcome views from younger consultees, and many have already responded to the consultation in a variety of ways, including letters and petitions.

School Buses

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have to introduce measures to prevent three children, under 14 years of age, sitting on two seats on school buses.

David Jamieson: Three children under the age of 14 sitting on two seats is permitted by the Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984. However, as this is a concession and not a requirement I have no plans to abolish this allowance. The use of this concession is declining as the modern interior designs of buses and coaches make it impracticable to use. It is also not permissible where seat belts are fitted.

School Buses

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) the three-for-two rule on school buses is being enforced and (b) no children over the age of 14 are sharing a seat with two other pupils; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Three children under the age of 14 sitting on two seats is a concession under the Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984. It is the responsibility of the driver of any vehicle carrying schoolchildren to ensure that this concession is not abused. It is, however, becoming redundant. Sharing seats is not an option (no matter what the age of the children) in vehicles fitted with seat belts. All mini-buses and coaches carrying schoolchildren must now be fitted with seat belts, except for those that pre-date the legislation and which are gradually disappearing from the road.

Sponsorships

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship in the last financial year; who the sponsor was in each case; what the nature of each project was; what time-period was covered by each project; what the total cost of each project was; how much money was involved in each sponsorship deal; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department has not received any cash sponsorship support. Many companies, however, have linked with Think!, my Department's road safety campaign and carried road safety messages in their own activities. We have not quantified the value of this supportive activity but we welcome extension of our safety messages by companies. Examples are in my Department's annual report.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of regional variations in staff turnover in his Department.

David Jamieson: The Department is yet to undertake an assessment of regional variations in staff turnover. The Regional Co-ordination Unit, as the corporate centre of the Government Office Network, collects data for the Government Offices. This data will be used to make assessments of regional differences in developing the Department's workforce strategies.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget plans to examine relocation of public services with the aim of achieving best value for money. He has asked Sir Michael Lyons—Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies at Birmingham University—to advise on relocation by the next Spending Review.

Train Safety

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government have plans to introduce measures to oblige train companies to provide seat belts for their passengers.

David Jamieson: There are currently no plans to fit seatbelts in passenger trains.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service

Mr. Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to reduce the number of civil service posts for which passing the civil service examination is a key requirement; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: There is no single "Civil Service exam". With the exception of the Fast Stream, and recruitment to the most senior posts, recruitment to the Civil Service is the responsibility of individual government departments and agencies. In general their systems are based on the competences their businesses require, and their recruitment processes are determined by the needs of the post. Departments are free to choose the selection methods that best demonstrate the competences and skills they are seeking. These can include a variety of tests and exercises, interviews or assessment centres.
	My own Department recruits for the graduate Fast Stream Programme on behalf of Departments and reports annually to Parliament with details of the scheme, including numbers of applicants and successes at each selection stage. The tests, exercises and interviews are designed and validated with the aim of achieving the best possible prediction of suitability for, and success in, the job. The recruitment process for all jobs in the Civil Service must be consistent with the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code.

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many contracts his Department has awarded to KPMG since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: Information on the number of contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office to KPMG in financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01 is available only at disproportionate cost. The numbers of contracts awarded in 2001–02 and 2002–03 were 2 and 4 respectively.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bridleways

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many public inquiries and at what estimated cost are projected due to the applications from the Trail Riders Federation to upgrade bridleways.

Alun Michael: I understand that information on public inquiries on rights of way is not held centrally in a form that makes it easy to provide an estimate of this sort. However I have asked officials to look at the level of applications and appeals and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as clearer information is available.

Bridleways

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in relation to the upgrading of bridleways for off road vehicles.

Alun Michael: I have asked officials to look at the level of applications for the upgrading of bridleways for off road vehicles under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Definitive map modification orders, which can amend the status of bridleways to byways open to all traffic, are currently dealt with by local highway authorities, and if an objection is made to a modification order, it is referred to the Planning Inspectorate to decide the case on behalf of the Secretary of State. I will write to the hon. Gentleman once I have the information.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Alun Michael: The Defra annual report for 2001 was produced with the assistance of the Central Office of Information at a cost of £17,887, exclusive of VAT.
	
		
			 Description £ (excluding VAT) 
		
		
			 Proofreading 3,962 
			 Design, layout and cover 13,400 
			 Production of web version 525 
			 Total cost excluding printing 17,887 
		
	
	Defra did not incur any of the print production costs. The Stationery Office prints and distributes the annual report as a commercial venture.

E-government

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list, by project, the consultancies her Department and its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-government projects since 1 January 2001.

Alun Michael: The following table identifies consultancy companies which have assisted Defra (including agencies and non departmental bodies) on major e-government projects since 1 January 2001.
	
		
			 Project Consultancy 
		
		
			 Veterinary Medicines—Digitally signed pesticide approvals project Fujitsu Services/Consulting 
			 England and Rural Development programme Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			  Elan Computing 
			  Yale Consulting 
			  Cathedral Consortium 
			  PA Consulting Group 
			  Parity Resourcing Solutions 
			  Sandfield Systems Ltd 
			  Interlect 
			  ARC Consulting Group 
			  PMR Technologies 
			  Office Government Commerce (OGC) 
			  The Nesco Group 
			  Sherwood International 
			  Spring IT 
			  Brian Farrington Ltd 
			 e-Communications programme SERCO Usability services 
			 CEFAS MIS W S Atkins 
			 e-Science -online Research Contracts Delta -Sherwood International, Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			 Countryside Agency—Open Access: Restrictions and Closures Bird & BirdWS AtkinsOffice Government Commerce (OGC) 
			 Countryside Agency E-Business Delivery Logica CMG 
			 Agricultural Census e-forms project KC3 
			 Livestock Identification programme Cornwell Management Consultants Plc 
			  Hedra Ltd 
			  Accenture 
			 Cattle Tracing System Delta—Sherwood International, Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			 Rural Payments Programme: Atos KPMG Consulting (AKC) 
			 Programme Mgmt PA Consulting (PA) 
			 Procurement Office Government Commerce (OGC) 
			  Bird and Bird 
			  Giga Information Group 
			  PA Consulting Group 
			 IACS E forms PA Consulting Group 
			 e-enablement of: Delta 
			 Over Thirty Month Scheme and Data Processing System Schlumberger Sema ConsultingSherwood International 
			 Graphical Information Systems/Rural Land Register Atos KPMG Consulting (AKC) 
			 Customer Focus Remote Sensing Applications—Consultants Ltd 
			  Landmark Information Group Ltd 
			  Handle With Care Ltd 
			 RPA Change Programme Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			  PA Consulting Group 
			  Accenture 
			 Exotic Disease Control Hedra Ltd 
			 Customer Registration Cornwell Management Consultants Delta/Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			  Atos KPMG Consulting (AKC) 
			  PA Consulting Group 
			 MAGIC—Multi Agency Landmark Information Group Ltd 
			 Geographical Information for the Countryside ESRI (UK) Ltd 
			  GeoWise 
			 Phoenix(1)—Bird import and registration systems Amtec Consulting Group 
			 Emissions Trading Register Delta—Sherwood International, Schlumberger Sema Consulting 
			  Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) 
			 Environment Agency Logica CMG 
			  Science systems 
			  British Telecom 
			   
			 In addition to the above, the following projects were undertaken by the Delta public/private partnership of Defra's IT Directorate/Schlumberger Sema and Sherwood International. In all cases the consultancy element was in excess of £100,000 Schlumberger Sema and Sherwood International 
			 Animal Health Group (AHG): Date Based Exports Scheme  
			 AHG: Scrapie Control System  
			 Animal Movements Licensing Scheme  
			 BSE CENTAUR  
			 Pig Tracing  
			 Scoping Study for the new Veterinary Surveillance System  
			 State Veterinary System (SVS) Generic Disease Control System and other veterinary investigations systems  
			 SVS:Mobile Computing in the Field  
			 SVS:Non—BSE Enhancements  
			 SVS: Vetnet  
			 FAS project  
			 Grants and Subsidies Management Project  
			 Web Based E-Science  
			 Cattle Tracing System  
			 Electronic Delivery for the Plant Health Services  
			 e-Plants Varieties and Seeds  
			 HTR Datacapture and HMI E-forms  
			 Arable Area Payment Scheme E-Forms  
			 Beef Special Premium Scheme Combined Risk Analysis  
			 Extensification Premium Scheme  
			 IACS Aggregated penalties  
			 Monitoring Field Inspections  
			 Suckler Cow Premium Scheme  
			 Sheep Annual Premium Scheme  
			 Sheep Quotas  
			 Sheep Quotas Purchase Scheme  
			 Slaughter Premium Scheme  
		
	
	Note
	1. The projects shown in this list are Defra's larger e-government projects (total cost £100,000 or more) which contribute towards the central target of making 100 per cent. of central Government services available by 2005.
	2. Under existing arrangements Defra's application development services are normally provided by the 'Delta' public/private partnership involving Schlumberger Sema and Sherwood International.
	3. Other consultancy services will also have been provided under the terms of a framework contract with Fujitsu.
	4. To provide a breakdown of consultancy companies/support by cost, or to provide details for smaller projects, would incur disproportionate cost.

European Union Directives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the procedure her Department follows to transpose an EU directive into United Kingdom law.

Alun Michael: Defra's policy is to transpose in such a way as to achieve the objectives of the European measure on time and in accordance with other UK policy goals, including minimising the burdens on business. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is started before the Commission formally publishes its proposal, and is then developed as the proposal goes through negotiation and at the transposition stage. A Risk Management approach is used, ensuring that the risks are identified and evaluated for Ministers.
	The normal procedure is that a project plan for transposition is developed, and a draft legal text of implementing regulation is prepared. Collective ministerial agreement for implementing regulations is sought, and the implementing regulations are laid before Parliament. Defra works closely with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations and where applicable, the Government of Gibraltar, to ensure effective and timely transposition of the Directive throughout the UK.

Foot and Mouth

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects Lord Haskins to report.

Alun Michael: Lord Haskins expects to submit a full report in the summer. Publication will follow as soon as possible after due consideration by Ministers.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) biotechnology companies and (b) health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups regarding the scale and scope of farm scale trials of GM crops.

Michael Meacher: I announced the programme of farm-scale evaluations of GM herbicide tolerant crops in October 1998. In February 1999, the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions consulted stakeholders, including biotechnology companies and health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups, about the proposals for the evaluations, the hypothesis to be tested and scale and scope of the field trials. Following this, in May 1999 the then Secretary of State appointed an independent Scientific Steering Committee to oversee the conduct of the evaluations. This Committee provides on-going advice to Ministers on all aspects of the design and methodology. Their advice is publicly available on the farm-scale evaluations website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/fse)
	Since the evaluations were set up, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had various meetings with representatives from biotechnology companies and health and environmental campaign and voluntary groups at which the farm-scale evaluations have been mentioned.

GM Crops

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2003 to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), Official Report, column 6W, on GM field trials, what form the forthcoming public debate on GM field trials will take.

Michael Meacher: The Government are sponsoring a public debate on GM issues, which is being managed by an independent Steering Board at arms' length from Government. The Steering Board will be launching a series of events on 3 June 2003, through which the public will have the opportunity to debate the issues surrounding genetic modification, including those related to the GM field trials. Members of the public can get involved either by attending one of the regional or local meetings or by accessing the website.
	Once the scientific papers reporting the results of the GM field trials are published and in the public domain, there will be a further opportunity to comment on the implications.

Nappies

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the life-cycle analysis of nappies being carried out by the Environment Agency.

Michael Meacher: The life cycle analysis will consider the environmental costs and benefits of both disposable and re-usable nappies. The work should be completed in the summer. I look forward to seeing the results of the study and hope it will provide clarity from an independent source on the environmental impacts of both types of nappy.

Organic Farming

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's budget is for research and development into organic farming; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The budget for research and development on organic farming was £2.029 million in 2002–03, and is £2.229 million for 2003–04. These figures include £200,000 spend via the Organic LINK programme.
	The planned/target Organic LINK spend, which is dependant on successful bids being co-funded from industry, is £400,000 in 2003–04, £700,000 in 2004–05, and then £1.3 million for the next three years—a total of £5 million.
	In addition, the organic farming sector also benefits from much of the other research the Department undertakes, for example, its planned spend of over £12.8 million on biological control techniques, plant health, animal welfare and wildlife conservation on farms this year.

Performance Targets

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the targets in respect of environmental matters which have been set for her Department.

Alun Michael: The Department has published its environmental Public Service Agreement targets (along with all other Public Service Agreement targets) in the Departmental Report—(ref Cm 5919).
	Environmental targets are also published in Defra's departmental website, which can be viewed at the following address: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/busplan/sda/sda0306.pdf

Recycling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of households she estimates will have doorstep or kerbside collections of recyclable material by 2010.

Michael Meacher: No estimate has been made of the percentage of households that will have doorstep or kerbside collections of recyclable material by 2010. The proportion of households served by some degree of kerbside recycling collection schemes in England in 2000–01 was estimated at 51 per cent. and I would expect this figure to rise as local authorities introduce arrangements to achieve their statutory recycling targets.

Waste

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of collection and management of (a) household and (b) municipal waste was in (i) England, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Wales in each year since 1997–98 for which figures are held by her Department.

Michael Meacher: The following figures show net revenue expenditure on municipal waste collection and disposal in England since 1997–98 to date, and in Scotland and Wales prior to devolution. Data are not available on the separate costs of household and municipal waste. The figures include income received in respect of charges to outside organisations. Data for Northern Ireland are not held centrally.
	
		Waste collection and disposal -- £ million
		
			  England(1) Scotland(2) Wales(3) 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,198.9 149.9 72.8 
			 1998–99 1,281.9 148 75.8 
			 1999–2000 1,423.3 — — 
			 2000–01 1,521.3 — — 
			 2001–02 1,653.9 — — 
			 2002–03(4) 1,818.9 — — 
		
	
	(1) 1997–98 to 2001–02 outturn figures are taken from local authority returns on expenditure (RO6 forms) and for 2002–03 planned expenditure (RA02 form).
	(2) Data provided by SERAD, reported by local authorities.
	(3) Data provided by NAWAD, from archive publications.
	(4) Budget.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when an announcement will be made on the award of the through-life maintenance contract for the two aircraft carriers to be built under the CVF programme.

Adam Ingram: The current intention for CVF is to include an option for an Initial Support Period for the carriers, of approximately six years, as part of the main build contract, which is due to be awarded in spring 2004. This will be dependent on the development of a sufficiently mature and acceptable proposal by the CVF alliance.

Aircraft Carriers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the allocation of work on the CVF programme between the UK shipyards will be announced.

Adam Ingram: An initial proposal on the allocation of work will be submitted by BAE Systems and Thales UK at the end of this year as part of their offer for the Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) phase. This proposal will be subject to value for money considerations. We aim to place a D&M contract by spring 2004.

Arms Exports

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with securing a G8 commitment to implement common standards in arms export controls; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Lancaster House conference on arms export control.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are committed to raising the effectiveness of export controls internationally, and promote common standards in arms export controls in multilateral fora wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so. Discussions on arms export controls have been taking place between G8 countries in preparation for the summit meeting at Evian, France on 2 to 3 June 2003.
	In response to the question on Lancaster House, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then International Development Secretary (Clare Short) on 10 March 2003, Official Report, column 39W.

Cluster Bombs

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries (a) RBL 755 and (b) BL 755 cluster bombs have been exported since 1973.

Adam Ingram: Since 1997, the Government has published details of export licensing decisions in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. However, as the granting of an export licence does not necessarily result in the export of the goods licensed, the information is not held in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	In accordance with established practice, we do not publish information on licensing decisions of previous administrations.

Correspondence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Medical Research Council to respond to the approach by the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit, as referred to in his letter of 2 May to Robert G. Wood Smith and Partners.

Lewis Moonie: The Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit received advice from the Medical Research Council on 20 May 2003 and will write to Robert G. Wood-Smith and Partners by the end of May 2003.

HMS Victory

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual cost has been of (a) crewing and (b) preserving and maintaining HMS Victory since 2000.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's annual costs for (a) crewing and (b) preserving and maintaining HMS Victory since 2000 are:
	
		
			   Financial Year (£ million) 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Crewing 1,072,000 1,148,000 1,137,000 
			 Ticket Revenue 1,058,694 1,018,047 1,022,025 
			 Net Crew cost 13,630 130,419 115,211 
			 Preservation and maintenance 856,000 555,000 631,000 
		
	
	The crewing costs include all Naval personnel and civilian staff employed by MOD and are offset by revenue for ticket sales. The preservation and maintenance costs include restoration work aimed at improving the material state of the ship.

Iraq

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he received, from whom and when, between 1 January and 20 April, regarding the threat of looting of antiquities in Iraq; what his Department's response was; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The Ministry of Defence was forwarded a letter to the Prime Minister on this issue from the All Party Parliamentary Group, dated 11 February. My hon. Friend the Minister of Defence Procurement (Lord Bach) responded to a Parliamentary Question on this subject from Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn on 26 March 2003, Official Report, column WA81. In addition, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Moonie) replied to a letter of 18 February from the British Council of Archaeology regarding the safeguarding of Iraq's cultural heritage.
	Coalition commanders were aware of the risk of looting during the planning and conduct of operations in Iraq. They worked closely to minimise this by restoring law and order as quickly as possible. In addition, the United States and United Kingdom governments have worked together to take steps to help recover any artefacts that have been removed, including a US funded reward scheme for the safe return of antiquities.

Military Bases

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military bases have been sold to the United States in each of the last 10 years; and whether leasehold arrangements are made for military bases.

Lewis Moonie: No British military bases have been sold to the United States, and neither have they been granted a lease to occupy any of the sites.

Naval Navigational Aids

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's expenditure on naval navigational aids for each year over the last five years for (a) Northern Ireland, (b) England and Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) each military port in the UK.

Adam Ingram: The future provision of Marine Services is the subject of a PPP/PFI Acquisition programme. To divulge details of current expenditure could prejudice the fairness of the competition, and the potential for gaining best value for money. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 7 of the Code of Access to Government Information (effective management and operations of the public service).

Naval Navigational Aids

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has to review the provision of navigational aids at naval installations in UK waters;
	(2)  what studies have been conducted into the provision of naval navigational aids for (a) military ports and (b) other Ministry of Defence maritime installations in the UK;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with other Departments regarding the provision of naval navigational aids by providers other than the MOD;
	(4)  what consultations he has had with public and private sector bodies regarding the provision of navigational aids for military ports by other providers within the UK.

Adam Ingram: No reviews are planned and no studies have been conducted into the provision of naval navigational aids. However, an Assessment Phase is currently being undertaken for a long term PPP/PFI Acquisition programme for the future provision of Marine Services. These services are currently provided by Serco Denholm, under a Government Owned-Contractor Operated (GOCO) arrangement and by the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS), part of the Warship Support Agency. The RMAS are currently responsible for the laying/recovery and annual maintenance of some 205 navigational buoys around the coast of the British Isles. Under current plans, the design authority for navigational buoys and the supply of related mooring materials will also be transferred to the successful bidder.
	Discussions took place with the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA), Non-Departmental Public Bodies sponsored by the Department for Transport, in 2001 to determine whether there was scope for the GLA's to take over the maintenance and upkeep of Ministry of Defence United Kingdom navigational buoys. However, it was subsequently decided not to proceed as such an arrangement would provide little benefit to the MOD. No further discussions on this matter have taken place either with public or private sector bodies.

NHS Consultants (Compensation)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Ministry of Defence is compensating NHS trusts for consultants now serving in the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: All employers who have a reservist mobilised for permanent service may apply for financial assistance to cover costs to the business resulting from the call-out. These include the costs of the initial replacement of the employee, any on-going administration, and retraining the employee when he or she returns.

NHS Employees (Gulf Service)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the contractors of NHS workers serving in the Gulf are being consulted about the length of their service.

Lewis Moonie: Employers are advised, at the time a Reservist is called-out, that they can expect their employee to be absent for a period of between six and eight months. This is obviously subject to operational requirements. Where possible, the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (RFCAs), in concert with the Regional Chains of Command, keep local employers of Reservists informed of the details.

Reserve Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since May 1997 sponsored reserves have been called up; how many were called up each time and for what service; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Royal Navy and the Army have only called out their sponsored reserves on one occasion, namely last March when 36 members of the Royal Naval sponsored reserves and two members of the Army sponsored reserves were called out to support operations in the Gulf. They all have been, or shortly will be, demobilised. Members of the RAF sponsored reserves have been called out on a regular basis since October 2000 but the exact occasions and numbers have not been recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Currently, 18 members of the RAF sponsored reserves are called out for permanent service.

Reserve Forces

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the bearing of reserve forces by service against requirement was in each year since 1990; and what the current bearing against requirement is.

Lewis Moonie: The information is set out in the following tables:
	
		Strength
		
			  Royal Naval Reserve Territorial Army Royal AuxiliaryAir Force 
		
		
			 1990 7,000 81,900 1,722 
			 1991 7,000 82,800 1,773 
			 1992 7,000 80,300 1,814 
			 1993 5,600 68,700 1,765 
			 1994 4,600 65,000 1,762 
			 1995 3,700 59,900 1,318 
			 1996 3,500 57,300 1,188 
			 1997 3,600 57,600 1,361 
			 1998 3,700 57,000 1,648 
			 1999 3,800 51,800 1,724 
			 2000 4,100 44,800 1,796 
			 2001 4,100 41,500 1,665 
			 2002 4,100 40,300 1,582 
			 2003 3,183 39,011 1,602 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri-Service)
	
		Establishment
		
			  Royal Naval Reserve Territorial Army Royal AuxiliaryAir Force 
		
		
			 1990 (5)— 89,960 (5)— 
			 1991 (5)— 95,068 (5)— 
			 1992 (5)— 79,600 (5)— 
			 1993 (5)— 79,871 (5)— 
			 1994 3,500 75,624 (5)— 
			 1995 3,500 63,950 (5)— 
			 1996 3,500 59,000 (5)— 
			 1997 3,580 72,179 (5)— 
			 1998 3,580 65,000 2,288 
			 1999 3,580 47,200 2,251 
			 2000 3,580 41,024 2,235 
			 2001 3,580 41,024 2,203 
			 2002 3,580 41,024 2,194 
			 2003 3,231 41,893 2,224 
		
	
	(5) Not available/applicable
	Separate figures are not available for the Royal Marines Reserve. However, the current strength of the RMR is 852 against an establishment of 990.

Reserve Forces

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many resignations from the reserve forces there have been since 1 January; and how many there were in each year since 1990.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Reserve Forces

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what recent assessment has been made of the reasons for Reserve Forces personnel choosing to resign;
	(2)  what measures have been taken to reduce the number of resignations from the Reserve Forces.

Lewis Moonie: Although such information would be held at unit level, there has been no recent centralised assessment of the reasons why Reserve Forces personnel resign. However, there are currently no indications to suggest that the recent call-out of reservists to support Operation TELIC will result in an increased rate of resignation from the Reserve Forces.
	As part of the follow-up work that normally accompanies large scale operations, we will be contacting reservists who served on Operation TELIC to identify any lessons that may be learned from their experience.
	We shall also be reviewing the relevant legislation to ensure that there are appropriate financial safeguards for both reservists and their employers and that job security is provided.

Returning Troops (Iraq)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian aircraft have been chartered for the return of British troops from Iraq; how many military aircraft are being used to return troops from Iraq; what the average delay is for troops awaiting transport home from Iraq; and if he will make a statement about transporting troops home from Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 May 2003
	Between 5 and 16 May 2003 a total of 15 civilian aircraft were chartered for the return of British troops from Iraq. Over a similar period, there have been 153 movements by RAF aircraft in the same role and there are currently no delays for troops awaiting transport home from Iraq.

Territorial Army Estate

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the sites available for sale previously occupied by the Territorial Army, broken down by constituency; which sites have been sold; at what price; which department was credited with the profits; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence estate is continuously under review to ensure that it is no larger than required for operational and other essential purposes. Under the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), a total of 87 Territorial Army (TA) sites were identified for disposal. Of these sites, 55 have been sold, 15 are still awaiting disposal and 15 have been withdrawn from the programme. There are two sites at Northumberland, currently held on lease, which will be surrendered when the lease terminates. Details of the sites, broken into counties, are listed in the table. The information on a constituency basis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Sale progress Name County 
		
		
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Falkirk Central 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Antrim County Antrim 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Plymouth Devon 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Dunfermline Fife 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Greenhithe Kent 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Gillingham Kent 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Kingsbury London 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Dulwich (replaces TAC Hollyhedge) London 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Chesser Crescent Lothian 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Delmemy (replaces TAC East Claremont) Lothian 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Wellingborough Northants 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Stafford Staffordshire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Cannock Staffordshire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Pontefract West Yorkshire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Devizes Wiltshire 
			 Lease termination TAC Alnwick Northumberland 
			 Lease termination Guildrooms, Alnwick Northumberland 
			 Sold TAC Speedwell, Bristol Avon 
			 Sold TAC Slough Berkshire 
			 Sold TAC Stirling Central 
			 Sold TAC Chester Cheshire 
			 Sold Ypres Barracks, Macclesfield Cheshire 
			 Sold TAC Guisborough Cleveland 
			 Sold TAC Falmouth Cornwall 
			 Sold TAC Newtonards County Down 
			 Sold TAC Buxton Derby 
			 Sold TAC Horden Durham 
			 Sold Vehicle Park, Llanelli Dyfed 
			 Sold Preston Barracks, Brighton East Sussex 
			 Sold TAC Cheltenham Gloucestershire 
			 Sold TAC Stroud Gloucestershire 
			 Sold TAC Oldham Greater Manchester 
			 Sold Derby Barracks, Bolton Greater Manchester 
			 Sold TAC Cefn Forest Gwent 
			 Sold TAC Newport Gwent 
			 Sold TAC Bangor Gwynedd 
			 Sold TAC Aldershot Hants 
			 Sold Martin Lines, Church Crookham Hants 
			 Sold TAC St Albans Herts 
			 Sold TAC East Ham London 
			 Sold TAC Acton London 
			 Sold Duke of York's London 
			 Sold TAC Finchley London 
			 Sold Gilmore Place, Edinburgh Lothian 
			 Sold The Grange, Edge Lane, Liverpool Merseyside 
			 Sold Forbes House, Liverpool Merseyside 
			 Sold TAC Heston Middlesex 
			 Sold Lumley Barracks, York North Yorkshire 
			 Sold Hungate, York North Yorkshire 
			 Sold TAC Worksop Notts 
			 Sold Harthill Close, Chilwell Notts 
			 Sold TAC Bridgwater Somerset 
			 Sold TAC Norbury Hall, Sheffield South Yorkshire 
			 Sold Caen House, Tamworth Staffordshire 
			 Sold TAC Coatbridge Strathclyde 
			 Sold TAC Rutherglen Strathclyde 
			 Sold TAC Paisley Strathclyde 
			 Sold TAC Clyde Lines Strathclyde 
			 Sold TAC Chertsey Surrey 
			 Sold TAC Guildford Surrey 
			 Sold TAC Cobham Surrey 
			 Sold TAC Knightsbridge Tyne & Wear 
			 Sold TAC Newcastle Tyne & Wear 
			 Sold TAC Frenchmans Fort, South Shields Tyne & Wear 
			 Sold Fusilier Armoury, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tyne & Wear 
			 Sold TAC Shirley, Birmingham West Midlands 
			 Sold TAC Sutton Coldfield West Midlands 
			 Sold TAC Greens Road, Coventry West Midlands 
			 Sold TAC Horsham West Susses 
			 Sold TAC Dewsbury West Yorkshire 
			 Sold TAC Halifax West Yorkshire 
			 Sold TAC Trowbridge Wiltshire 
		
	
	The following table shows other TA/RFCA sites currently in the Department's disposal programme of surplus land and property which were not identified as part of SDR.
	
		
			 Sale progress Name County 
		
		
			 Awaiting disposal RFCA Dunstable Bedfordshire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Aylesbury Buckinghamshire 
			 Awaiting disposal AFC/ATC Longstanton Cambs 
			 Awaiting disposal Cadet Centre, St Ives Cornwall 
			 Awaiting disposal Cadet Centre, Alvaston Derbyshire 
			 Awaiting disposal Drill Hall, St Leonards East Sussex 
			 Awaiting disposal Hemel Hempstead (Lease) Hertfordshire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Faversham Kent 
			 Awaiting disposal Cadet Centre, Hinckley Leicestershire 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC Kidlington Oxford 
			 Awaiting disposal TAC King Street, Wellington Shropshire 
			 Awaiting disposal RFCA Newmarket Suffolk 
			 Awaiting disposal RFCA Pontefract (Lease) West Yorkshire 
			 Sold ACF Shoeburyness (pt) Essex 
		
	
	The sale of the sites above has so far realised gross receipts in excess of £153 million, which have been credited to the Ministry of Defence. I am withholding details of sale prices for individual sites in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had regarding human rights in Burma.

Mike O'Brien: On 7 May 2003 I met the Burmese Ambassador to the UK and expressed my concern at the number of political prisoners in Burma. I urged the Burmese authorities to move ahead quickly with the release of all political prisoners. I explained that UK and EU policy would toughen unless there was significant improvement in human rights and progress towards democracy.
	I remain in close contact with the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail. When I met Razali in March, I expressed my concern over the deteriorating economic, political and human rights situation in Burma.
	The EU decided to strengthen and update the EU Common Position on Burma on 14 April 2003. The Common Position contains a range of measures designed to bring pressure to bear on the military regime to move towards national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. EU Ministers agreed that unless substantive political progress was made in Burma before 20 October 2003, the Common Position would further strengthen the arms embargo, visa ban and assets freeze.

Caribbean and Bermuda

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) preparations and (b) discussions have taken place on the agenda for the Caribbean Regional Seminar on Advancing the De-colonisation Process in the Caribbean and Bermuda on 20 May.

Mike O'Brien: In October 2002 the Chairman of the UN Special Committee on De-colonisation (C24) sought HMG's agreement to the Committee's annual seminar being held in 2003 in a UK Caribbean Overseas Territory. After consultation with the Territory Government, Anguilla was agreed as the venue. On 28 March officials discussed arrangements for the seminar with the C24 Chairman in New York. There has since been close liaison between the C24 Secretariat, the UK Mission in New York, the FCO and the Government of Anguilla. The agenda for the seminar, which this year will focus on the Caribbean and Bermuda, is set by the C24 and has not been the subject of discussion with HMG.

Economic Sanctions

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the nations against which the United Kingdom is applying economic sanctions (a) individually and (b) jointly with other EU member states, giving the reason in each case.

Bill Rammell: As of 12 May 2003, the United Kingdom, along with EU partners, is implementing mandatory UN sanctions, imposed by the UN Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in relation to Iraq, Liberia, Rwanda (and neighbouring States to prevent the supply of arms to Rwanda), Sierra Leone, Haiti and Somalia. The United Kingdom is also implementing sanctions imposed by the European Union in relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burma, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Sudan and the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
	In accordance with a decision of the Organisation for the Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Kingdom is implementing arms embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan. The UK is also imposing unilateral arms embargoes on Iran and Zimbabwe.
	A list of sanctions regimes and arms embargoes implemented by the UK is in the Library of the House. Annexed to this is a summary of additional UK restrictions on the export of strategic goods. These documents are also available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk/sanctions) and are updated each time there are changes to sanctions regimes implemented by the UK or to UK restrictions on the export of strategic goods. The FCO website also contains full details of the reasons why such sanctions have been imposed (www.fco.gov.uk/country profiles).

Europe (Core Treaties and Protocols)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the articles of each of the core treaties and related protocols of the European (a) Community and (b) Union in force which were (i) approved as being subject to consequential parliamentary legislative proceedings and (ii) accepted and executed by Crown prerogative following advice from Ministers.

Denis MacShane: Before the UK acceded to the European Communities in 1973, Parliament passed the European Communities Act 1972 in order that the United Kingdom's obligations under the Communities' founding treaties could be fulfilled. Subsequent amendments to the treaty structure have, in accordance with the treaties themselves, been agreed by the common accord of the governments of the member states. Amendments then enter into force after being ratified by all the member states in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. In the United Kingdom, an amending treaty must be laid before Parliament, and any necessary amendments to the European Communities Act 1972 passed by Parliament, before it can be ratified under the Crown prerogative.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. I met Mr. Caruana in London on 17 December 2002 and have since spoken with him twice by telephone.

Guantanamo Bay

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Pentagon regarding the proposed release of the child detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: None of the minors concerned are British nationals. Nevertheless, the issue will form part of our regular dialogue with the US about all the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
	The US has told us that all detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

Guantanamo Bay

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are detained by the USA in (a) Guantanamo Bay and (b) Afghanistan; whether any of them are under 18; what legal and consular advice is available to them, whether any have been charged with offences; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Nine British nationals are detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay, none of whom are under the age of 18. I am told there are no British nationals detained by the US in Afghanistan.
	As Guantanamo Bay is outside a recognised consular district, the US does not consider that we are entitled to formal consular access there. However, British officials have visited on five occasions to check on the identity and welfare of the British nationals and ask questions relating to national security. We were the first country to visit its nationals there. The United States has told us it will treat the detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions.
	None of the British detainees have been charged with offences. Nor have they had access to legal representation. We have told the US that the detainees are entitled to humane treatment, and if prosecuted, a fair trial. We are pressing the US to move forward with the process of determining the detainees' future, and shall continue to do so.

Human Exploitation and Forced Marriages

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to help the international community eradicate (a) the commercial sexual exploitation of children, (b) trafficking in persons, (c) forced marriages, (d) bonded and forced labour, (e) debt bondage and (f) serfdom.

Bill Rammell: The Government are working with the International Labour Organisation and other UN bodies, NGOs and governments to combat the diverse forms of contemporary slavery, such as forced or bonded labour, debt bondage and serfdom. The UK has ratified the key international legal instruments that outlaw slavery: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Slavery Convention, and ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on Forced Labour. We are promoting the widest possible ratification and practical implementation of these. We have also signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and intend to ratify once domestic legislation is in place.
	The FCO finances a number of projects to promote the rights of the child and to combat contemporary forms of slavery. This year projects include an Anti-Slavery International initiative to end the use of child camel jockeys, and a project to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Tajikistan.
	In 2002, the FCO and the National Hi Tech Crime Unit provided 10 countries with equipment and training to investigate on-line child abusers. The project has resulted in a number of convictions and we expect to extend it to another 10 countries this year. UK law enforcement agencies work closely with partners in source, transit and destination countries to detect, prevent and prosecute organised criminal gangs that traffic in humans for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. In 2003 the Government provided an additional £60 million to combat organised immigration crime.
	The UK was one of the first signatories to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the two associated protocols against the facilitation of illegal immigration and for the prevention of trafficking in human beings, especially women and children. This requires signatories to ensure trafficking is a punishable offence, alongside the introduction of prevention, education and support initiatives for victims. We plan to ratify the Convention and the Protocol later this year and are encouraging those countries that have not yet signed the Convention or protocols to do so.
	The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, introduced a new offence of "trafficking a person for the purpose of controlling him or her in prostitution." This ensures there is a serious criminal sanction against traffickers, and is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment. We will introduce legislation on new offences covering human trafficking for labour exploitation as soon as parliamentary time allows.
	In 2000, the FCO set up a dedicated unit to tackle the issue of forced marriage. The Unit has handled over 500 cases and repatriated over 100 victims. The Unit works with NGOs, police and judiciary in the UK and overseas. It carries out preventative work in the UK, developing guidelines for the police and social services, increasing public awareness, and achieving wide media coverage.

Indonesia (Religious Persecution)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indonesian Government regarding the persecution of Christians.

Mike O'Brien: Religious freedom in Indonesia is enshrined in the Constitution and is respected by the Indonesian Government and the majority of Indonesians. Although religious differences were the apparent spark of violence in the provinces of Maluku and Sulawesi, underlying economic factors were at least as important.
	We, along with our European partners, have urged the Indonesian Government to maintain law and order and promote reconciliation in both provinces, and bring to justice extremists responsible for human rights abuses.

Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 between the British and Iraqi Governments on (i) the return of weapons inspectors and (ii) the lifting of sanctions; what governments and persons were used as intermediaries in this process; what discussions the British Government had with the governments of (A) France, (B) Russia and (C) the United States on this matter prior to the discussions in 2000 and 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: As part of our extensive efforts to resolve the Iraqi disarmament issue following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1284, the Government held discussions with a number of other Governments. Our overall objective was to ensure the return of UN weapons inspectors to verify Iraq's disarmament as required under that resolution and, ultimately, the lifting of sanctions.
	These discussions took the form of both direct bilateral exchanges and discussions in multilateral fora. On a number of occasions the Government also encouraged other Governments, both in the region and elsewhere, which enjoyed closer relations with the Iraqi regime to persuade them to co-operate with the United Nations.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 663W.
	Most of the FCO's expenditure on taxis in the UK is channelled through three contracts for taxi services. Expenditure under them amounted to £525,026.69 during 2002. There will also have been other expenditure on taxis by our Missions overseas. But that is not recorded separately and it would involve disproportionate cost to obtain the total spent by them on taxis during 2002.

Timber

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to press the European Commission to introduce laws to prevent the import and sale of illegally logged timber and timber products in the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The UK supports sanctions on Liberian timber exports. We were therefore pleased that on 6 May 2003 the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1478 (2003) unanimously. The resolution renewed and extended sanctions against Liberia. The Council added a new ban on all timber sales from Liberia. This will deprive the Government of Liberia of its revenue used to fund arms purchases. The ban will come into effect on 7 July 2003.
	On 8 May 2003 the EU successfully negotiated a draft Common Position, which will be adopted shortly. A Council regulation will be passed to implement the timber sanctions within the Community.
	The Government support the Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (AFLEG) process, calling on all African Governments and trading partners to take actions to control illegal activities in the logging sector and associated trade.
	We continue to call on all countries to respect the sanctions imposed on Liberia.

Timber

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the call for UN sanctions on Liberia to be extended to include timber; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK supports sanctions on Liberian timber exports. We were therefore pleased that on 6 May 2003 the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1478 (2003) unanimously. The resolution renewed and extended sanctions against Liberia. The Council added a new ban on all timber sales from Liberia. This will deprive the Government of Liberia of revenue used to fund arms purchases. The ban will come into effect on 7 July 2003.
	We continue to call on all countries to respect the sanctions imposed on Liberia.

Turkey

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Turkish government and (b) the European Union on Turkey's progress on meeting the criteria for EU membership.

Denis MacShane: On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary I discussed Turkey's EU candidacy with EU foreign ministers in Brussels at the 14–15 April 2003 General Affairs and External Relations Council, where they agreed on a revised Accession Partnership for Turkey, which sets out priorities for meeting the political criteria. The Foreign Secretary also periodically meets with senior members of the Turkish government to review a range of issues including Turkey's progress in meeting the criteria for membership. The last time he met with members of the Turkish government was during the informal meeting of foreign ministers in Rhodes on 2–3 May 2003, which he and Turkish Foreign Minister Gul attended. Discussions on Turkey's progress in meeting the political criteria between the UK and Turkish governments also continue to take place regularly at ministerial and senior official levels.

Turkey

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Turkish Government and (b) the European Union on human rights violations in Turkey.

Denis MacShane: EU Foreign Ministers discussed human rights violations in Turkey at the 14–15 April 2003 General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels. I attended on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. They agreed on a revised Accession Partnership for Turkey, which sets out priorities for meeting the political criteria for membership of the EU. These priorities cover many aspects of human rights. The Foreign Secretary periodically meets with senior members of the Turkish Government to review a range of issues, including Turkey's progress in meeting the criteria for membership. On 3 December 2002 he held talks with the former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during a visit to Ankara. FCO officials also frequently discuss human rights violations with the Turkish authorities; the latest round of an ongoing UK-Turkey Human Rights Dialogue took place in London on 26 November 2002.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

Property Values

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission what firm of valuers were used by the National Audit Office to value properties being disposed of in the Inventures sale; and how much the firm cost to employ.

Alan Williams: NHS Estates, an executive agency of the Department of Health, is in the process of disposing of a portfolio of surplus property together with a property consultancy company called Inventures. The National Audit Office appointed King Sturge Financial Services Limited to advise on aspects of the sale of properties including the valuation methodology. The Comptroller and Auditor General expects to report to Parliament in due course. The cost of the work carried out by King Sturge Financial Services Limited was some £15,000 including VAT.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Solicitor General if the Government will publish the advice tendered by the Attorney General (a) in respect of the legal basis for invading Iraq and (b) the post war reconstruction arrangements in Iraq.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 20 May 2003
	No. As the hon. Member is aware from my answer to him on the 26 March, by long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of and content of Law Officers' advice to the Government is not disclosed outside Government.
	This is reflected in paragraph 24 of the Ministerial Code. The Law Officers' advice to Government is given in confidence.
	Exceptionally, the Attorney provided a written answer to Baroness Ramsey in the House of Lords on 17 March in which he set out his views on the legal basis for the armed conflict against Iraq. I repeated that answer in this House on the same day.
	Hon. Members will also know that the Foreign Secretary submitted a document to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 17 March dealing with the legal basis for the armed conflict against Iraq. Furthermore, on the 22 April in a letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee the Foreign Office set out the scope and authority of an occupying power under international law.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many officials in the Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by officials, broken down by category of honour.

Rosie Winterton: We do not routinely keep records of those officials awarded honours before joining the Department or those officials who are awarded honours in recognition of activities outside of their Departmental duties. This information could therefore be collected only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, since 1992, a total of 91 officials have received awards following a recommendation from my Department (information prior to 1992 could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost). Of those officials who have received awards since 1992, 24 are still serving and a breakdown of their awards by category is as follows:
	CB—2
	CBE—4
	OBE—2
	MBE—16

WALES

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, broken down by Act, the offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department since 1997.

Peter Hain: My Department came into being on 1 July 1999.
	The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2003 (SI 2003/284) created two new offences. These relate to false statements in relation to absent voting procedures (Article 13) and to the publication of exit polls before the close of the election poll (Article 34).
	The same Order also rolled forward a number of pre-existing offences from the National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 1999 (SI 1999/450) as amended by the National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) order 2002 (SI 2002/834).

Departmental Invoices

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying the percentage of invoices paid within the target time in 2002–03.

Peter Hain: Wales Office invoices are approved by the Wales Office, following which the payments are processed by the Assembly.
	During 2002–03 my Department paid 88 per cent. of its invoices on time. We continue to look for improvements on that level of performance and in the first month of the current financial year we have achieved 97 per cent.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

Peter Hain: Final figures for 2002–03 are not yet available. My Department's objective is to derive maximum benefit from the funds allocated to it in each Spending Review.

Spending Review

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

Peter Hain: As part of the 2002 Spending Review it was decided that my Department would no longer have a Service Delivery Agreement. Rather it will report its achievements through its annual Departmental Reports, the most recent of which was published in May 2003 as Cm 5928.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office Correspondence Unit deals with all incoming internal and external mail. The staffing complement has been three post since November 2001. Prior to that there were two.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Enhanced Pension Take-up

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many wives have received an increased state pension because their husbands have reached 65 in each year since 1997; what estimate he has made of the numbers of wives who have not received this enhancement, broken down by reasons; and how many wives have claimed the increase and failed to receive it in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is not available.

Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the change in value of the state retirement pension in the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: The level of the basic State Pension is increased each year to ensure that, as a minimum, it retains its value in relation to prices. Since April 2001 we have uprated basic State Pension by more than the annual Retail Prices Index (RPI), and for the future lifetime of this Parliament we are committed to increasing basic State Pension by the higher of 2.5 per cent. and RPI. The change in value is to take account of the increase.
	Detailed information is contained in table 5.1 of the DWP publication "Abstract of Statistics: 2002 Edition" a copy of which is available in the Library or can be obtained via the DWP website—www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/abstract/Abstract2002

Pensions Ombudsman

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average time for dealing with a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman was in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) in the current year;
	(2)  how many complaints the Parliamentary Ombudsman received in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 2000–01, (d) 2001–02 and (e) this year;
	(3)  how many (a) investigators and (b) solicitors the Pensions Ombudsman has to investigate complaints.

Maria Eagle: The Pensions Ombudsman currently employs 15 investigators of whom five are legally qualified. In addition to this a small number of lawyers are used on a "fee per case" basis.
	The information requested on average clearance times and number of complaints are in the following tables. The information on the year 2002–03 is not available. The Pension Ombudsman's annual 2002–03 report, which will be published later this year, will contain data that assesses performance using different criteria and consequently will not be directly comparable.
	
		Average time for dealing with a complaint -- Months
		
			  From acceptanceto completion Once formal investigation begins 
		
		
			 1997–98 12.7 7.3 
			 1998–99 11.0 7.3 
			 1999–2000 8.8 6.8 
			 2000–01 5.7 4.7 
			 2001–02 8.5 6.9 
		
	
	
		Complaints received
		
			  Inquiries Accepted cases 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,328 729 
			 1998–99 3,067 719 
			 1999–2000 3,269 627 
			 2000–01 3,215 911 
			 2001–02 2,946 831 
		
	
	Source:
	Pensions Ombudsman annual reports 1997–2002

Personal Finance

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has conducted to assess the financial literacy of consumers with different income levels.

Maria Eagle: In 2001 the Department published a research report—Pensions 2000 1 —examining public attitudes to pensions and financial planning for retirement. The research asked people to assess their own knowledge of pensions issues and examined variations in knowledge by income levels. Findings from similar research undertaken by my Department last year will be published in early summer.
	The Government recognise the importance of financial literacy in decisions about saving for retirement. Drawing on research evidence from my Department, the Financial Services Authority and elsewhere the Green Paper 'Simplicity, security and choice: working and saving for retirement' (Cm 5677) examined some of the barriers to saving and underlined the need for everyone to understand the financial choices they are faced with in preparing for retirement.
	1 Mayhew, V. (2001) Pensions 2000—Public attitudes to Pensions and Planning for Retirement DSS Research Report No. 130, CDS, Leeds

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 652W, if he will list the organisations to which civil servants in his Department have been seconded since 1997–98 in (a) the private sector, (b) NGOs and (c) other, stating in each case (i) the dates of the secondments, (ii) the number of civil servants seconded to that organisation and (iii) their grade.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Social Fund

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by how much Social Fund loan recoveries are expected to change in value in the current year and for what reason; and whether this increase is related to a change in the rules on loan repayments.

Malcolm Wicks: The discretionary Social Fund plays an important role in the Government's agenda for tackling poverty and social exclusion by helping the poorest and most needy members of society meet the cost of occasional one-off essential items through community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans.
	The forecast Social Fund loans recovery for 2003–04 is £519.3 million as opposed to £488.8 million in 2002–03. There has been no change in the rules on loan repayments. The increase in recoveries is due to the fact that the annual national gross loans budget has increased year after year enabling more people to take advantage of the Social Fund loans scheme.

Tax Credits (Staff Transfers)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's staff have been, or will be, transferred to the Inland Revenue as a result of the introduction of the new tax credits in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05.

Maria Eagle: There are no plans to transfer staff from DWP to the Inland Revenue as a result of the introduction of new tax credits.
	While responsibility for administering the Child and Working Tax Credits rests with Inland Revenue, the DWP will continue to deliver a one-stop system of support for working age customers, including transacting their tax credits business.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Joint Declaration

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Joint Declaration.

Paul Murphy: The Joint Declaration and accompanying documents set out the agreed way forward on the implementation of the remaining commitments in the Belfast Agreement, and the restoration of stable and inclusive institutions as envisaged in the Agreement. We shall press ahead with implementing some parts of the Joint Declaration, as the Prime Minister and Taoiseach agreed in Dublin two weeks ago. However, some elements, such as full security normalisation, must await the necessary clarity on an end to paramilitarism.

Joint Declaration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what elements of the Joint Declaration can be implemented without acts of completion by the IRA.

Paul Murphy: It is our intention to press ahead with the implementation of a range of recommendations in the Declaration, including on rights and equality and policing and justice. We also intend to introduce legislation on the establishment of an Independent Monitoring Body, as set out in the Agreement between the British and Irish Governments on Monitoring and Compliance.

Broadband

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken to increase access to broadband technology in all areas of Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The Government have committed £290 million to progressively improve broadband access throughout Northern Ireland over the next 10 years. Significant initiatives include the major Classroom 2000 and Electronic Libraries projects. In addition we have introduced a range of complementary supply and demand side initiatives to increase access for business, citizens and communities across Northern Ireland.

Good Friday Agreement

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further measures will be taken to implement fully the Good Friday agreement and restore the political institutions in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer).

Decommissioning

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received on decommissioning.

Jane Kennedy: I can confirm that the Provisional IRA and the UDA have recently been engaged in talks with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. However, the Prime Minister stated clearly in his speech on 1 May 2003 that an undertaking is needed that 'all' arms will be put beyond use through the IICD.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with Sinn Fein about meaningful decommissioning of terrorist weapons.

Jane Kennedy: Clarity on the issue of an end to paramilitary activity, including the decommissioning of all arms, has been a central focus of our discussions with the parties—including Sinn Fein—on the restoration of the institutions on a stable and inclusive basis. We have been clear that all paramilitary activity, as specified in paragraph 13 of the Joint Declaration, must come to an end. We call on all paramilitary organisations to engage with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and put all weapons beyond use.

Paramilitary Activity

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards ending all paramilitary activity.

Jane Kennedy: The Government acknowledge that steps have been made by some groups in terms of paramilitary ceasefires, independent arms inspections and three acts of decommissioning. We now need a clear and unambiguous undertaking that all the activities listed in paragraph 13 of the Joint Declaration will cease completely.
	The Government are determined in their resolve to see a complete and permanent end to all paramilitary activity and will continue to bear down and thwart the efforts of those who still see violence and terror as the way forward.

Peace Process

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer).

Assembly Elections

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the political impact of the cancellation of the Assembly elections on 29 May 2003.

Paul Murphy: The decision to postpone the elections was not taken lightly. However, we judged that, in the absence of clarity on an end to paramilitary activity as set out in paragraph 13 of the Joint Declaration, the trust and confidence did not exist to permit the restoration of functioning institutions. If we had had elections, we would not have had Government under the Agreement. The Government are now focused on working hard to bring about the restoration of the necessary trust and confidence, with a view to holding elections in the autumn.

Asylum Seekers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many asylum seekers are located in Northern Ireland; at what establishments they are being housed; and what the cost of housing asylum seekers in Northern Ireland was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is not available in the form requested.
	The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
	At the end of December 2002, 170 1 asylum seekers (including dependents) were being supported in NASS accommodation and 20 1 asylum seekers (including dependents) were in receipt of subsistence only support in Northern Ireland.
	No information is held centrally on the location of residence of asylum seekers supported by DWP or who support themselves.
	Information in respect of the cost of housing asylum seekers in Northern Ireland is not currently available.
	1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. The figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.

Bylaws

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 332W, on bylaws, which local government authorities have applications for bylaws outstanding; how many outstanding applications there are per local government authority; what the content is of outstanding applications received by the Department of Environment from local government authorities requesting permission to invoke new bylaws in the past 10 years; when they were received by the Department of Environment; what action has been taken towards granting permission on each separate application; how many of these applications are within the power of the Department to confirm; and when local government authorities are notified that an application has not been successful.

Angela Smith: In total 12 applications to the Department of Environment from eight district councils for the confirmation of bylaws are currently outstanding. The number of outstanding applications by district council is set out in the table together with the broad content of each application and the date received.
	Action has been taken on all applications and these have been the subject of extensive correspondence and discussion involving district councils and legal advisers for local and central government. Each application is currently at a different stage of consideration.
	All 12 applications are within the power of the Department to confirm and in four cases joint confirmation with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is required. The Department of Environment has not notified any district council during the period that its application has not been successful.
	
		
			 District council Number of bylaw applications Broad content(6) Date received 
		
		
			 Ards 4 Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces;Seashores, Esplanades and Promenades;Good Rule and Government—Miscellaneous; Good Rule and Government—Car Parks 16 March 1994 
			 Carrickfergus 1 Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces 15 May 2001 
			 Craigavon 1 Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces 5 August 1996 
			 Castlereagh 1 Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces 28 June 2002 
			 Coleraine 1 Seashores, Esplanades and Promenades 29 April 1998 
			 Down 1 Seashores, Esplanades and Promenades 14 September 1998 
			 Lisburn 1 Good Rule and Government 14 August 2000 
			 North Down 2 Seashores, Esplanades and Promenades 2 December 1994 
			   Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces 18 January 2002 
			 TOTAL 12   
		
	
	(6) There are 8 model sets of Home Office bylaws. The current applications fall within three of the models, as follows:
	"Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces" includes bylaws for the regulation and management of playgrounds; control of certain sports; protection of flora and fauna; and skateboarding and roller skating.
	"Seashores, Esplanades and Promenades" includes bylaws for the control of public meetings; animals; vehicles; games and entry to public conveniences.
	"Good Rule and Government" includes bylaws for the control of noise; reckless/wilful damage; games near streets and district council car parks.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what support the Government are giving (a) bilaterally and (b) through (i) World bank and (ii) UN agencies, to initiatives to assist African countries to overcome non-tariff barriers to trade by meeting G8 product standards and engaging in international standard setting; and if she will make a statement on G8 members' actions to improve the availability of information on standards and transparency to trade Ministers in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development (DFID) has undertaken a considerable amount of work in the important area of assisting developing countries, including in Africa, in the areas of standard setting and compliance. Bilateral trade related technical assistance projects in Malawi and Ghana have both provided support to the Standards Bureaus in those countries, to enable them to participate in international standard setting and implement the standards set by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's Codex Alimentarius Committee. The new Regional Trade Facilitation project in southern Africa, covering the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, also has a component to support implementation of international standards that SADC members have signed up to.
	Through its funding of the Trade Policy Development Project of the World bank, DFID has supported the creation of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), which has already undertaken exploratory work in Africa and will be developing projects to enable African countries to meet standards for agricultural exports. The STDF is a partnership of the World bank, World Trade Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation, which attempts to strengthen donor coordination in standards related to food safety, and plant and animal health. Between November 1999 and February 2003, reports and action plans were developed in Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya and Uganda, examining the link between trade facilitation, standards and trade.
	DFID is also contributing to a new United Nations Industrial Development Organisation Trust Fund, 'Enabling Developing Countries to Participate in International Trade',which includes African countries in its first wave of projects. The Fund aims to: enhance developing country market accesses through appropriate infrastructure in order to meet and show compliance with export requirements; build capacity in potentially high productivity sectors; and provide support to developing countries that have encountered problems with meeting standards requirements for their exports.
	The G8 will be reporting on their actions to implement the commitments in the Africa Action Plan, including in the area of standards, at the G8 summit in Evian in June 2003. However, the European Commission has already announced the establishment of a 'Help desk' within DG Trade, intended to facilitate developing country exports to the European Union through providing information on the requirements of the European Union market, including product standards. This helpdesk will be accessible through internet or by phone and Commission and member states delegations in countries with poor telecommunications.

Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what new initiatives her Department has taken since the G8 Kananaskis summit to promote agricultural productivity in Africa.

Hilary Benn: DFID promotes agricultural productivity in Africa through supporting African efforts to increase domestic productivity and working to creat a fair and equitable international trading system. We do not earmark bilateral funds, but support Africa's own priorities defined in national Poverty Reduction Strategy processes, which also seek to address the many constraints that lie outside the agriculture sector. These include issues such as economic policy, trade policy and credit and infrastructure provision. UK resources for Africa will increase by nearly 50 per cent. to around £1 billion by 2006.
	The UK supports the development of a fair and equitable international trading system. We believe the G8 process can add significant political momentum to the relevant negotiations. Following Kananaskis, DFID has been supporting progress internationally on CAP reform and WTO agriculture negotiations, the reform and harmonisation of G8 preferential access schemes and multilateral trade related technical assistance to Africa.
	Access to agricultural technology in Africa was highlighted at Kananaskis. Two relevant initiatives are our support for the design of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (a public-private partnership to enable access to agricultural technology) and provision of £16 million to support agricultural research for Africa in 2002–03.

Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development how many African-based businesses have won contracts funded by his Department in each of the last three years; what the values of those contracts were; and what steps his Department has taken to increase the opportunity for African businesses to bid for such contracts.

Hilary Benn: DFID untied its aid in April 2001, when we opened our contracting to international competition. In 2001–02 DFID headquarters awarded two contracts worth a total value of £0.37 million to African-based businesses. In 2002–03 there were eight such contracts with a total value of £10.64 million. Figures for the period before 2001 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	We have also developed trained contracting capacity in DFID's overseas offices to allow them to make better use of both local and international suppliers for lower-value contracts. In 2001–02 DFID offices in Africa let contracts worth a total of £11.82 million. In 2002–03, the corresponding figure was £9.41 million. We do not hold a central record of the share of these contracts awarded to local businesses.

Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what her Department has done to bring United Kingdom companies together with NEPAD.

Hilary Benn: DFID is supporting the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) to develop private sector engagement in the NEPAD Programme of Action, and stimulate the increased domestic and foreign investment required for NEPAD to succeed. This work is subsumed under the principal private sector initiative in support of NEPAD—the NEPAD Business Group (NBG).
	NBG comprises leading business organisations that have a broad constituency—both inside and outside Africa—and are committed to helping the continent realise its full economic potential. NBG includes the following organisations that count a number of UK businesses amongst their members: CBC; Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum; British African Business Association; and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Access to Medicines

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what steps have been taken to implement the paper on access to medicine produced by the Government, the United Kingdom pharmaceutical industry and multilateral agencies; and if she will place a copy in the Library.

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises four key factors that can improve access to medicines for diseases prevalent in poor countries (including AIDS, TB and Malaria): affordable pricing, sustainable financing, reliable health and supply systems, and the rational selection and use of existing drugs.
	The UK Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in the Developing World, chaired by the former Secretary of State, reported to the Prime Minister in November 2002. A copy of the report is available in the Library. The Working Group consisted of senior representatives from UK Government, pharmaceutical industry, the UN, EC and other international organisations.
	The UK Working Group was asked to specifically consider:
	ways of improving access to medicines through measures such as facilitating differential pricing arrangements and encouraging appropriate donations; and
	what policies could be pursued by the UK Government that would increase research and development into diseases of poor people.
	The Group recommended specific action on R&D, and outlined proposals that would encourage voluntary, widespread, sustainable and predictable differential pricing as the operational norm. In the short-term, it recommended gaining significant international commitment to this approach, including through the G8. A team has been established within DFID specifically to take this forward.
	The UK Government are firmly committed to increasing access to medicines and to strengthening health systems in developing countries. DFID has committed over £1.5 billion since 1997 to support health systems, which will help build capacity to deliver medicines to the poor and to make effective choices about the selection of drugs.
	On sustainable financing, we have pledged $200 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). This will help pay for increased coverage of proven interventions for the three diseases and some associated health systems strengthening. We have already disbursed $80 million to the Fund.
	The UK is also working through the World Trade Organisation to ensure that a satisfactory conclusion is reached on the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health agreement that will assist developing countries with insufficient or no drug manufacturing capacity to make effective use of compulsory licensing.
	Tax measures were introduced in the 2002 Budget aimed at encouraging private sector companies to increase investment into the research and development of new treatments for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in developing countries, and encouraging responsible donations of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries. Departments across Whitehall will be working together to monitor the impact of these tax initiatives and to explore the potential of other mechanisms to increase investment.

Departmental Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Hilary Benn: In the financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03 respectively, DFID spent £21,880 and £98,334 on advertising to raise development awareness. Planned expenditure for 2003–04 is £70,000. As yet, no budget has been set for 2004–05.
	The total spending on advertising relating to recruitment and contract procurement for 2001–02 was £1,070,357 and for 2002–03 was £1,143,796. On current trends, expenditure on recruitment and contract advertising in 2003–04 and 2004–05 is not anticipated to rise significantly in real terms.
	Figures are shown net of VAT, and those for 2002–03 are subject to final auditing to take account of any end of year adjustments.

Child Prostitution

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of children being smuggled into Britain for prostitution in the last year for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The nature of trafficking means that it is a hidden crime and there are no reliable figures about children being trafficked into or out of the UK. There have been a few high profile instances of children being trafficked into or through the UK, but there is insufficient information to say if this is a growing problem. However, the very nature of the crime demands that it is treated very seriously, which is why the Government have introduced criminal sanctions covering child traffickers and has tasked the Reflex group with co-ordinating intelligence on the problem.
	The UK is committed to tackling the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation. Our strategy on trafficking is set out in the White Paper "Secure Border Safe Haven" and focuses on strengthening the law through new offences covering trafficking; providing appropriate support to victims of trafficking in the UK; tackling the criminals through intelligence and enforcement operations through the Reflex taskforce; EU co-operation and provention is source and transit countries in partnership with Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) Department for International Development (DFID). Joint work is also underway between key agencies at principal entry points to identify children at risk, and the Home Office is working closely with the Department of Health on good practice in delivering the best service to children who have been trafficked.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of regional variations in staff turnover in her Department.

Hilary Benn: DFID has two headquarters offices in the United Kingdom: one based in Victoria, London and the other in East Kilbride, Glasgow.
	Details of the starters and leavers in both locations, for the calendar years 2001 and 2002, are as follows:
	
		
			 Year London Starters London Leavers Total London Staffing (end of year) East Kilbride starters East Kilbride Leavers Total East Kilbride Staffing (end of year) 
		
		
			 2001 149 96 844 44 20 530 
			 2002 115 64 895 25 17 538

Foreign Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what increased contributions have been made to the Integral Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance; whether the framework has been extended to all developing countries; what additional capacity-building support to developing countries for trade has been introduced since June 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK has contributed £1.5 million to the Integrated Framework Programme (IF) so far. The programme has been extended from the initial five least developed countries to include three pilot countries under the revised programme and a second wave of 11 least developed countries. There are sufficient funds available to complete the IF process in these countries. Further expansion will be considered following the evaluation of the programme this summer. The UK has committed £51 million to trade related capacity building since June 2000.
	The Integrated Framework aims to support least developed countries mainstream trade priorities into their development programmes, usually framed in the country's poverty reduction strategy. The process includes a Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) which recommends policy measures and a matrix of technical assistance and capacity building support needs. The process is country led and the DTIS team comprises both international and local experts. The priorities will be funded through the existing mechanisms for support from bilateral and multilateral partners. In response to the call from participating countries and the World bank, a further trust fund is envisaged to support modest, priority, quick win projects to bridge the period between the DTIS and access to development assistance through the established consultative groups, roundtables and programme support. Its terms of reference were agreed on 16 May 2003. The UK plans to contribute shortly.

Global Health Fund

Peter Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the UK Government are (a) encouraging their G8 partners and (b) pledging themselves fully to fund the Global Health Fund at the forthcoming G8 summit; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK fully supports the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria. We have been actively engaged from the outset, which is why we made a five year pledge of $200 million from the beginning. $80 million of this has already been disbursed to the Fund. We believe that the Fund adds value through its ability to deliver donor coherence and to purchase drugs and commodities in bulk and establish reliability of supply.
	We welcome the French proposal to hold a conference in Paris (Post Evian G8) with the objective to put the fund on a firm footing and a sound financing framework.

Global Health Fund

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what contributions have been made by each G8 country to the global health fund; and what proportion of the global health fund's requirement is currently funded.

Hilary Benn: The UK fully supports the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria. We have been actively and positively engaged from the outset, which is why we made a five year pledge of $200 million from the beginning. $80 million of this has already been disbursed to the Fund. We believe that the Fund adds value through its ability to deliver donor coherence and to purchase drugs and commodities in bulk and establish reliability of supply.
	We welcome the French proposal to hold a conference in Paris (Post Evian G8) with the objective to put the fund on a firm footing and a sound financing framework.
	The following table highlights the pledges made by each of the G8 members:
	
		
			  Total pledges to date 
			 Donors Pledge in original currency Pledge value in USD Period of pledge 
		
		
			  GFATM Trust account(7) 
			 United States — 1,650,000,000 2001–08 
			 Germany EUR 200,000,000 218,361,830 2002 
			 United Kingdom GBP 138,000,000 218,342,667 2001–05 
			 Italy — 200,000,000 2002–03 
			 Japan — 200,000,000 2002–04 
			 France EUR 150,000,000 164,534,226 2002–04 
			 Canada — 100,000,000 2002–05 
			 Russia — 20,000,000 2002–06 
			 Total via World Bank — 2,771,238,723 — 
		
	
	(7) At World Bank

HIV/AIDS

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what action the Department is taking to (a) combat HIV/AIDS and (b) promote sexual health in Southern Africa.

Hilary Benn: HIV/AIDS represents a major development challenge in Southern Africa, and is a priority for DFID's funding in the region. Because good sexual health is essential for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, much of DFID's support for sexual health is now included in our response to HIV/AIDS. DFID has supported major programmes to combat HIV/AIDS and promote sexual health in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In addition, DFID supports a South African Development Community (SADC) HIV/AIDS programme covering Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. Also DFID has recently approved a programme that will work across Africa to support connections between on-going regional work, and fund some new regional initiatives such as working with Orphans and Vulnerable Children. In addition to direct support for HIV/AIDS programmes, DFID is increasingly mainstreaming efforts to combat HIV/AIDS into all development programmes.

HIV/AIDS

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the scale of HIV/ AIDS in southern Africa.

Hilary Benn: Southern Africa is the region worst affected by HIV and AIDS. In its 2002 report, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that 29.4 million people in sub-saharan Africa live with HIV/AIDS, and that 8.8 per cent. of the adult (15–49 years) population is affected.

Iraq

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the use of cluster bombs in the war with Iraq on the long-term humanitarian situation in the country.

Hilary Benn: We recognise that unexploded ordnance (UXO) is a matter of grave humanitarian concern. The UK is fully committed to facilitating the clearance of unexploded ordnance as part of the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq. De-mining organisations funded by DFID, the UN Mines Advisory Service (£4 million) and the Mines Advisory Group (£81,000) are working with local organisations and the coalition military to plot the locations of all unexploded ordnance and to carry out disposals.
	Cluster bombs were used in a number of locations by the coalition during the war. As with all other weapons, they were used by UK forces consistent with obligations under international law.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what action he is taking to provide short term housing for the Palestinian refugees displaced in Baghdad.

Hilary Benn: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has made available emergency supplies for up to 2,000 people, including 400 tents, 1,200 mattresses and 2,000 blankets as well as stoves, jerry cans and soap to help newly-displaced Palestinian refugees in Baghdad. DFID has contributed £1.75 million to UNHCR's Flash Appeal.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what steps are being taken to stabilise mains power supply for use by water plants in Baghdad.

Hilary Benn: Maintaining clean water supplies in Iraq has been an immediate concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military, have worked hard to repair water stations and to supply water by alternative means in the interim. In Baghdad power and water are now reaching 80 per cent. of the urban population on an intermittent basis.
	International agencies including the ICRC and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) are now supporting local municipality and electricity board work teams to improve the mains power supply in Iraq, including Baghdad. DFID has committed £16.5 million to ICRC for their work, which includes electricity infrastructure repair. DFID has also provided £7 million to UNDP for its emergency assistance programme in the electricity sector, focusing on central and southern Iraq.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the recent levels of hospital admissions for diarrhoea and the corresponding risk of water related diseases in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: It is difficult to establish an accurate picture of disease trends in Iraq, as the former Iraqi disease surveillance system is no longer functioning. The reactivation of this system is a priority for the World Health Organisation (WHO).
	Recent weeks have shown a steady increase in the number of reported cases of water- related disease in many locations. This is due to a combination of normal seasonal trends including the start of the hot season, inadequate supply of safe water, and poor sanitation. The Iraqi Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and NGOs are currently conducting assessments, and drawing up an action plan to deal with outbreaks of water-related diseases. UNICEF has prepositioned an extra 200,000 sachets of oral rehydration salts, in the region to deal with diarrhoeal disease outbreaks. DFID is donating cholera kits, sufficient to treat 11,000 people, and emergency health kits, sufficient for 10,000 people for three months, to WHO to assist their response as and when required.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development, how many containers for the collection and storage of water have been made available to Iraqi civilians since the end of military action; and whether these supplies have been sufficient to meet requirements.

Hilary Benn: This information is not available. However, DFID funding to UNICEF and NGOs has included provision to cover items such as water containers should they be needed, for example for refugees or internally displaced people.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what volume of water treatment chemicals are required per week for use by humanitarian agencies in Iraq; what impact shortages in stocks of water treatment chemicals are having on humanitarian efforts in Iraq; and what efforts the Department is taking to overcome these shortages.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not aware of any reliable consolidated estimates of the requirement for water treatment chemicals in Iraq. Water disinfection normally involves treatment using chlorine, and reduction of turbidity using Aluminium Sulphate. One metric tonne of chlorine gas is sufficient to treat water for one million people for one day. The quantity of Aluminium Sulphate required depends on the turbidity of the water. Some shortfalls of stocks have been identified in Iraq, which the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF and the Coalition have taken steps to meet from outside the country. DFID has provided funding to ICRC and to UNICEF for water and sanitation activities including the distribution of water treatment chemicals.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the contingency plans which were put in place before the commencement of military action in Iraq, for the reconstruction of water treatment facilities in (a) Baghdad and (b) Basra.

Hilary Benn: Detailed planning for the reconstruction of water treatment facilities was not possible prior to the conflict in Iraq as it could not be known what condition the infrastructure would be in at the end of military action. DFID did however undertake a desk study review of all the reports on infrastructure in Iraq that were available at that time.
	Maintaining clean water supplies in Iraq has been an immediate concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military, have worked hard to repair water stations and supply water by alternative means In Basra the quantity of water being supplied now exceeds pre-conflict levels. In Baghdad power and water are now reaching 80 per cent. of the urban population on an intermittent basis.

Iraq

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the work done by his Department in providing humanitarian assistance to Iraq since the end of the conflict.

Hilary Benn: DFID is providing funding and other support to the UN agencies, Red Cross / Red Crescent and NGOs to enable them to provide humanitarian assistance where it is needed. DFID has committed £115m to support work by humanitarian agencies in the current crisis and has set aside a further £95 million to support emerging humanitarian needs. The attached table shows the detailed allocation of the funding. Supporting such agencies as part of a co-ordinated international response is more effective than running separate national relief operations. DFID looks to the UN to coordinate this humanitarian effort. DFID has also seconded staff to the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs, the UN, and UK forces to advise on humanitarian relief activities.
	Now that major combat operations are complete, international staff from UN agencies and NGO's have begun returning to Iraq. On 2 May, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, arrived in Baghdad with senior representatives of the World Food Programme, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organisation and UNICEF to re-establish a permanent presence. The UN's presence is now expanding rapidly, co-ordinated through five regional teams based in Baghdad, central Iraq, the north and in the upper and lower south.
	
		Agreed DFID Emergency Funding for Iraq
		
			  (£s) 
		
		
			 Red Cross  
			 International Federation of the Red Cross 15,500,000 
			 Support to pre-positioning stocks, deployment of delegates, as well as disaster preparedness/response activities of the relevant National Societies.  
			 International Committee of the Red Cross 16,500,000 
			 Support to pre-positioning stocks, deployment of delegates, emergency medical support, water and sanitation, protection and assistance activities.  
			 Total Red Cross 32,000 
			 UN Pre-Conflict Preparedness  
			 World Food Programme 8,000,000 
			 Food pre-positioning for 250,000 for ten weeks. Upgrading logistics and communications capacity. Activating UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) and UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)  
			 United Nations Children's Fund 2,000,000 
			 Pre-positioning supplies (health kits, birthing kits, therapeutic milk, high protein biscuits, hygiene supplies and mobile water purification units, school in a box, and NFIs. Developing campaign for mine awareness. Enhance capacity of field offices.  
			 United Nations High Commission for Refugees 1,750,000 
			 Winter kits for 350,000. Procurement of remaining kits for target caseload of 600,000. Site identification and deployment of additional emergency officers.  
			 World Health Organisation 1,000,000  
			 24 emergency health kits pre-positioned. Training on communicable diseases and awareness for CBW. Need to preposition 76 additional health kits and 20 surgical kits. Strengthen field operations, logistics, communications.  
			 Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance 150,000 
			 Deployment of personnel to Country Teams and Larnaca. Deploy IRIN officers to Cyprus, Turkey, and Jordan. Develop public information capacity.  
			 Office of the United Nations Security Co-ordinator 100,000  
			 Enhance current security structure with 1 Regional Security Coordination Officer, 6 Field Security Officers, oversight and training.  
			 UN Inter Agency Flash Appeal 1,500,000 
			 Food and Agriculture Organisation  
			 Support to agricultural and poultry production in war-affected areas of southern Iraq to boost food security and contribute to improving the nutritional status of project beneficiaries in areas targeted.  
			 World Food Programme 25,000,000 
			 Support to enable the procurement, transport and distribution of foodstuffs, including operational and logistical support. Support to the provision of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service and the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre.  
			 World Health Organisation 5,000,000 
			 Support to the implementation of policy and the operation of the health system, in close cooperation with new national and local authorities, including assessing overall health needs as well as the overall capacity of the Iraqi health structures  
			 United Nations Development Programme 7,035,100 
			 Emergency assistance in the electricity sector focusing on Central and Southern Iraq. Work includes assessments and rapid rehabilitation of facilities.  
			 United Nations Children's Fund 7,000,000 
			 Support to key activities in water and emergency sanitation, routine immunisation and mine risk education throughout Iraq.  
			 United Nations Mines Advisory 4,000,000 
			 Service Support to mine clearance activities and mine action co-ordination throughout Iraq.  
			 Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance 750,000 
			 Support of information, coordination and technology in Iraq and the region.  
			 Office of the United Nations Security Co-ordinator 500,000 
			 Provide an interim security capability in Iraq. Develop a UN security management structure, capacity to monitor security; provide security advice, develop security structures and procedures.  
			 Total funding to UN Agencies: 63,785,100 
			 NGO  
			 Merlin 265,000 
			 Emergency health, mobile units, rapid health assessments  
			 International Medical Corps 220,000 
			 Emergency Trauma care, primary care for under 5s and pregnant woman and obstetric care  
			 Save the Children UK 500,000 
			 Health, non-food items and tracing  
			 HelpAge International 150,000  
			 Non-food items, shelter to elderly IDPs and their dependents  
			 GOAL 305,834 
			 Assistance and Primary Health Care to southern Iraq  
			 BBC World Service Trust 390,600 
			 Emergency radio programme and media audit BBC WST second grant agreed—additional £76,259 for a media audit.  
			 War Child 613,133 
			 Emergency bakeries programme  
			 MedAir 295,565 
			 Assistance to IDPs in northern Iraq 
			 Mines Advisory 80,883 
			 Group Mine action preparedness, mine marking and deployment of coordinators to centre/south Iraq  
			 4RS 105,673 
			 Assistance to vulnerable women in northern Iraq  
			 Total NGOs 2,926,688  
			 Grand Total Funding Agreed 98,711,788 
			 (Total Funding Committed) 115,000,000

Iraq

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what estimate has been made of the cost of additional funding for United Nations aid agencies required to meet humanitarian needs in Iraq; and what additional amount the Government will be contributing to the UN for these purposes.

Hilary Benn: On 28 March the UN launched a Flash Appeal for $2.2 billion to which the UK has so far committed £65 million. The Flash Appeal is currently being revised in line with UN humanitarian needs assessments. We will consider further support to UN agencies once the results of these assessments are available and a revised appeal has been made.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in 2002.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 May by the hon. Member for Paisley South (Mr. Alexander) Official Report, column 663W, ref. 101541 on the estimated cost of ministerial cars and drivers.
	DFID currently has two taxi contracts. Their combined cost for the year 2002 was £108,211. We do not hold central records of taxi costs, agreed by departments, paid to other companies and claimed for by individual members of staff.

North Korea

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if she will make a statement on aid to North Korea.

Hilary Benn: The UK's policy towards engagement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has resulted in limited but carefully targeted humanitarian contributions. There are many constraints to humanitarian agencies operating in North Korea, including problems of access. The Government of North Korea generally refuses to allow international organisations free and open access to rural areas and forbids post-distribution monitoring and evaluation.
	The UK stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance in response to any new sudden humanitarian crisis. DFID contributed just over £2 million to humanitarian assistance projects in 2001–02. This support was channelled through UNICEF for essential drugs, immunisation and water and sanitation activities and through the British Red Cross for disaster preparedness and flood relief.
	DFID is also providing support through the European Community's programme. In 2002, the European Community allocated nearly 6 million Euros (£4,244,000). DFID contributes around 20 per cent. of the European Community's budget.

Palestine

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the level of poverty of the Palestinian people; and what strategy he is pursuing to alleviate it.

Hilary Benn: Poverty in the West Bank and Gaza has increased dramatically since the intifada started in September 2000. According to a recent World Bank assessment, some 60 per cent. of Palestinians are now living on less than $2 a day. Unemployment stands at 53 per cent. and many families are now dependent on food aid. A study by UNICEF has also found the incidence of acute malnutrition in Gaza (13.3 per cent.) is comparable to levels in Zimbabwe (13 per cent.) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (13.9 per cent.). Palestinian refugees in neighbouring countries also live in unacceptable circumstances.
	The key element of any strategy to reduce poverty sustainably is a successful peaceprocess leading to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state living in peacealongside a secure Israel. Our programme in the West Bank and Gaza provides support for the peace process; capacity building and institutional development; improvements to basic services, and a range of emergency programmes arising from the current conflict.

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 394W, on secondments, if he will list the organisations to which civil servants in his Department have been seconded since 1997–98 in (a) the private sector, (b) NGOs and (c) other, stating in each case the dates of the secondments, the number of civil servants seconded to that organisation and their grade.

Hilary Benn: The following statistics relate to secondments started in each financial year. Information on location is not available for years 1998–99 to 2000–01. The statistics for this period are based on annual returns to Cabinet Office.
	
		
			 Seconded from DFID Number 
		
		
			 1997–98  
			 Grade  
			 Band A 2 
			 Total 2 
			   
			 1998–99  
			 Grade  
			 Band A 9 
			 Band B 1 
			 Total 10 
			   
			 1999–2000  
			 Grade  
			 SCS 2 
			 Band A 8 
			 Total 10 
			   
			 2000–01  
			 Grade  
			 SCS 4 
			 Band A 10 
			 Band B 2 
			 Total 16 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 NGO  
			 Christian Aid 1 
			 Band A  
			   
			 Other  
			 Other Government Department  
			 Band A 1 
			 Band B 2 
			 Total 3 
			 International Institutions  
			 SCS 2 
			 Band A 20 
			 Total 22 
			 Academic  
			 SCS 1 
			 Band A 1 
			 Total 2 
			 Grade  
			 SCS 3 
			 Band A 23 
			 Band B 2 
			 Total 28 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Private Sector  
			 Timber Trade Federation 1 
			 Band A  
			 Other Government Department  
			 SCS 3 
			 Band B 3 
			 Band C 2 
			 Total 8 
			 International Institutions  
			 SCS 2 
			 Band A 21 
			 Band B 3 
			 Total 26 
			 Local Authority  
			 SCS 1 
			 Band A 2 
			 Band B 1 
			 Total 4 
			 Academic  
			 SCS 1 
			 Total 1 
			 Grades  
			 SCS 7 
			 Band A 24 
			 Band B 7 
			 Band C 2 
			 Total 40 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 Other  
			 Other Government Department  
			 Band A 1 
			 Band B 1 
			 Total 2 
			 International Institutions  
			 Band A 1 
			 Total 1 
			 Grades  
			 Band A 2 
			 Band B 1 
			 Total 3 
		
	
	Notes:
	Band A = SEO-G6
	Band B = EO/HEO
	Band C = AA/AO

Tanzania

Gary Streeter: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of food insecurity due to lack of rain in the Singida region of Tanzania; and what assistance the Department will provide.

Hilary Benn: Most parts of Tanzania have experienced exceptionally low rainfall during the current season. Its effects on the June harvest are still unclear. The Government of Tanzania carried out an initial food and crop assessment in May. This will be followed in July by a further assessment to identify particularly vulnerable areas following the June harvest. We await the results of these. DFID is ready to respond to any request the Government of Tanzania may make at that time.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing advertising on the BBC.

Kim Howells: DCMS has received a number of representations from members of the public and Members of this House on advertising. However, information on correspondence is not held in such a way as to permit a detailed breakdown of individual topics or views expressed.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list, broken down by Act, the Criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since 1997.

Kim Howells: pursuant to his answer, 12 May 2003, Official Report, c.28W
	This answer has been amended to include one offence created by an item of secondary legislation. The number of offences created under the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000 has also been revised from one to two.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has enacted three measures since 1997 which created new criminal offences (one of which was created by secondary legislation). These are the Royal Parks (Trading) Act 2000 which created one offence, the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000 which created two offences, and the Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions Licensing) Order 2001 (IS 2001/3937) which created one offence. The last mentioned Order has been amended on two occasions (by SI 2002/1062 and SI 2002/3205).

Departmental Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total expenditure on advertising by the Department was in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and what the level of planned expenditure is for (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Kim Howells: No advertising campaigns were undertaken by the Department between 2001–03 and, to date, there are no plans for any advertising campaigns between 2003–05.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to reduce her Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

Kim Howells: The Department is currently estimating an underspend of £74 million in 2002–03, which is 5.7 per cent. of the total provision. The underspend relates to lower than expected take up of grants under schemes that are essentially demand led. Planned spending for 2003–04 is set out in the Departmental Report CM5920.

Digital Television

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who are blind are able to enjoy digital television.

Kim Howells: The Government fully recognise the importance of access to television services for people with sensory impairments. Digital technology has huge potential for improving services and we are extremely keen that all groups benefit.
	The Communications Bill currently before Parliament strengthens the requirements for audio description on television. The Bill sets targets of 10 per cent. of programmes to be audio described for the blind, extending these requirements to digital cable and satellite broadcasters for the first time.
	The Government have also been raising awareness among manufacturers about the opportunities in the market for equipment for disabled people. For example the Government are encouraging manufacturers to use design for all principles to produce better designed new equipment both for those with disabilities and those without.

Digital Television

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to raise the target for audio description for digital television programmes.

Kim Howells: The 10 per cent. target for audio description was considered as part of the Review of the Statutory Requirements for the Provision of Subtitling, Signing and Audio Description, the report of which was published In January 2001. Having considered all the issues, during the review, we concluded that the 10 per cent. target should be maintained. We believe that this target is challenging but achievable.
	This decision recognised the unresolved production and distribution difficulties with the audio description modules needed to receive the service. The Government have been working with the RNIB, broadcasters and manufacturers to help identify possible solutions to these problems and we are disappointed that the current problems have not yet been solved.
	The Communications Bill, currently in Parliament, allows the Secretary of State, following consultation with OFCOM, to vary the target percentage for audio description, by order. So even though the target is currently 10 per cent. it means that if there were significant advances in the current technology, and more widespread take-up of the modules, targets could be increased.

English Heritage

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the potential impact of road charges on UK tourism.

Kim Howells: DCMS recognises that transport is a key issue for UK tourism and officials from DCMS and the Department for Transport are in regular contact on transport issues. The Government do not consider that the M6 toll road will have a significant impact on tourism. The revenues raised from local authority congestion charging schemes must be reinvested into local transport improvements and can help deliver a quality transport system that will benefit all sectors of the economy, including tourism.

Entertainments Licences

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of premises that will apply for an entertainments licence following passage of the Licensing Bill;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to increase the opportunities to hear live music in the UK;
	(3)  what representations she has received from musicians' organisations about the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: DCMS has received a great deal of correspondence from organisations representing musicians and other performers about the Licensing Bill, most of whom have been concerned that it will restrict their activities. The vast majority of their concerns have been unfounded and based on a misinterpretation of the Bill's provisions. Where we believed that the Bill could be improved, however, we have listened to the concerns expressed to us and have made appropriate amendments, for instance by exempting places of public religious worship from the licensing regime as it relates to the provision of entertainment and entertainment facilities and by accepting the spirit of an amendment which exempts incidental live music in certain circumstances.
	Under the provisions of the Bill there will be no separate licence for the provision of regulated entertainment. Permission to carry on any of the activities licensable under the Bill will be covered by a single premises licence. It will cost no more to apply at the same time for a licence permitting the sale of alcohol and the provision of entertainment than it would to apply for one permitting the sale of alcohol only. I therefore believe that the Bill will make it more affordable than now for venues to put on live performance in the vast majority of cases and increase opportunities for musicians and other artists to perform.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Licensing Bill states that just over 9,000 on-licensed premises and registered members clubs hold permanent public entertainment licences or certificates of suitability. An estimated 37,000 temporary public entertainment licences are also issued each year. The Government have made no estimate of the number of premises that will apply for permission to provide regulated entertainment under the new licensing regime. We expect, however, that the removal of the cost deterrent in applying for permission to provide such entertainment, along with the provision of a less bureaucratic system and measures to prevent unnecessary conditions being attached to licences by licensing authorities will encourage many more in respect of their premises to take the opportunity to provide public entertainment.

Fitness for Purpose Initiative

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Fitness for Purpose Initiative.

Kim Howells: The Fitness for Purpose initiative was launched in the autumn 2001 by my Department in conjunction with the Local Government Association. The initiative promotes better inspection and regulation of hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfast accommodation which are failing to meet minimum legal requirements on health and safety, food hygiene, trading standards and fire safety, in order to help them improve. Further details can be found at www.culture.gov.uk/tourism.
	From April this year, leading local authorities have been carrying out pilot studies of the initiative in major English tourist destinations. The lessons from these pilots will form the basis of a full set of proposals which DCMS and the Local Government Association will produce next year. We then hope to see Fitness for Purpose adopted across England from 2004.

Gambling

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what studies have been undertaken by her Department regarding a link between liberalised gambling laws and addictiveness; and if she could place copies in the Library.

Richard Caborn: We have not carried out such studies ourselves, but are aware of and have taken into account the available research evidence on problem gambling. This evidence was listed in the bibliographies to the reports of the Gambling Review Body (Cm 5206, a copy of which is already in the Library) and of consultants appointed by the Gambling Industry Charitable Trust (which was published earlier this month and is available on the Trust's website at www.gict.org.uk).

OFCOM

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has given to OFCOM on its duties in respect of the regulation of the content of broadcast material.

Kim Howells: The principles and objectives for regulation of the content of Broadcast material by OFCOM are set out in the Communications Bill. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has given no further guidance to OFCOM on this matter. OFCOM will regulate content standards by way of a statutory code or codes, with regard to the specific provisions laid down in the Communications Bill. These codes will be developed on the basis of evidence and research.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Kim Howells: A progress report of the Department's Public Service Agreement targets was published as a Command Paper in November 2002 at a cost of £2,293. The targets have also been published on our website and are referred to in the Department's Annual Report, Strategic and Business Plans, all at negligible additional cost.

School Premises

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on regulations on future entertainments on school premises.

Kim Howells: Entertainment provided by a school or college to which the public are admitted is currently licensable and will continue to be licensable under the provisions of the Licensing Bill. This is primarily because the public safety issues involved would be the same as for any other venue, although the promotion of the other licensing objectives, such as the protection of children from harm and the prevention of public nuisance are also important.
	A concert or other performance in a school or college which takes place for parents and students without payment will, however, be exempt from the new regime. Similarly, if the school charges parents and students but does so only to cover its costs, no licence would be required. This would mean that the school nativity play
	in the form that we all know would not need a licence. Any performance of music, dancing, etc that is being performed for students as part of their education would also be exempt as it would not be provided for the purpose of entertainment.
	The Government have also made a commitment to exempt schools and sixth form colleges from the fees associated with the provision of regulated entertainment under the licensing regime which the Bill will introduce where the entertainment is provided by the school. Under the existing legislation a reduction in or waiver of fee may be granted by a local authority outside Greater London if they consider the entertainment is
	"of an educational or other like character".

Serviced Accommodation

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the review of the National Quality Assurance Standards Scheme for serviced accommodation.

Kim Howells: Quality is the foundation of a successful tourism industry. The industry must provide good quality accommodation that meets visitor expectations. We want to ensure that the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) schemes are easily understood by visitors, and that it is a scheme that owners of hotels and guest-houses want to be part of.
	A two-part review of the (NQAS) schemes for serviced accommodation is now under way. It will involve consultation with relevant stakeholders including the AA and RAC, relevant national and regional tourism bodies, trade organisations, and a range of commercial operators.
	The first part is examining the differences that exist between the schemes in England, Scotland and Wales. The main aim is to reach a view on whether common schemes are feasible. This part of the review is being led jointly by the three National Tourist Boards. The second part will relate to England only, and is being led by VisitBritain. It will look at the management of the schemes, covering issues such as assessment, administration, recruitment of businesses, and promotion to consumers.

Sports Lottery Funding

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the regional distribution of sports lottery funding in 2002–03.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Region £ 
		
		
			 East Midlands 29,690,294 
			 Eastern 16,659,090 
			 London 19,724,738 
			 North East 8,754,156 
			 North West 15,977,795 
			 South East 17,592,480 
			 South West 22,620,288 
			 West Midlands 12,100,410 
			 Yorkshire 9,282,712 
			 National 389,162 
			 Total 152,791,125 
		
	
	The table does not include £4 million lottery funding contribution towards the School Sports Coordinators initiative, for which a regional breakdown is not available.

Subtitling

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to encourage subtitling on (a) television, (b) videos, (c) DVDs and (d) other audiovisual media.

Kim Howells: holding answer 19 May 2003
	The Communications Bill currently before Parliament strengthens the requirements for subtitling on television. The Bill sets subtitling targets of 90 per cent. of programmes on Channels 3 and 4, and 80 per cent. of programmes on all other channels, extending these requirements to digital cable and satellite broadcasters for the first time.
	The Government is working with a range of organisations in the audiovisual sector-such as the Broadcasters Disability Network, film distributors, trade organisations and companies providing subtitling—to promote awareness of subtitling issues on DVD and video. We try to ensure that the views of people with sensory impairments are taken into account, and work is taken forward in liaison with organisations representing these groups.
	Promotion of awareness of subtitling issues in cinema is primarily through the Film Council as the national body responsible for film strategy, but we also liase with other interested organisations in the sector such as PACT and the Film Distributors Association.
	I am working closely with colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions which has the lead on disability issues on making Government services and functions more accessible to disabled people. That work includes an inter-Governmental group working on web accessibility and accreditation in partnership with industry and facilitated by the Office of the e-Envoy.

Television Licence Fee

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has for the future of the television licence fee.

Kim Howells: The Government intend that the television licence fee will remain as the main source of BBC funding at least until the expiry of the BBC's current Royal Charter at the end of 2006. The arrangements for funding the Corporation after that date will need to be considered as part of the Charter review process.

Tourist Boards

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals she has to expand the number of English regional tourist boards so that their boundaries are co-terminators with those of the English Regions; how many (a) UK and (b) foreign tourists (i) there were in each of the four ERTBs in each of the last five years and (ii) there are predicted to be over the next three years; how much Government funding each of the ERTBs will receive in 2003–04; and whether funding is adjusted according to local authority spending on tourism.

Kim Howells: The Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs) are not Government organisations and their geographical boundaries are for them to decide in consultation with their membership. They are the natural partners of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) for the development and implementation of Regional Sustainable Tourism Strategies. The question of the coterminousness of RTB and RDA boundaries can be considered during the process of formulating those strategies, in consultation with RTBs and other RDAs as appropriate. Five of the regions already have coterminous boundaries.
	Government funding for the RTBs, to be distributed via the RDAs single pot for three years from 2003–04, is a continuation of the funding the RTBs received from the former English Tourism Council in 2002–03 in respect of regional projects. It is guaranteed for three years at the same level as in 2002–03 and does not take into account individual local authority spending on tourism, some of which may comprise membership subscriptions to RTBs. There are separate arrangements for London and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds the Greater London Authority (GLA) towards meeting its tourism responsibilities. Most of this funding flows to the London Development Agency, which in turn uses the London Tourist Board as a key delivery agent. The amounts for RDAs to pass on to RTBs in 2003–04 are as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Development agency Amount Tourist board 
		
		
			 East of England Development Agency 543,000 Covering East of England RTB 
			 Advantage West Midlands 252,000 50 per cent. contribution to Visit Heart of England RTB 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 252,000 50 per cent. contribution to Visit Heart of England RTB 
			 One North East 333,000 Covering Northumbria RTB 
			 South East England Development Agency 744,000 Covering Southern and South East RTB 
			 South West England Regional Development Agency 403,000 Covering South West RTB 
			 Yorkshire Forward 360,000 Covering Yorkshire Tourist Board 
			 North West Regional Development Agency 713,000 337,000 for Cumbria RTB and 376,000 for North West RTB) 
		
	
	Figures for UK and overseas visitors to the regions (including London) are as follows:
	
		Number of visits by UK and Overseas tourists to each RTB area in each of the last three years(8) -- millions
		
			  UK residents—trips Overseas residents—visits 
			 RTB Area 2000 2001 2002 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Cumbria 5.0 4.5 4.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Northumbria 5.6 4.3 4.8 0.4 0.4 0.5 
			 North West 14.8 13.7 14.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 
			 Yorkshire 13.1 11.0 12.2 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Heart of England 23.4 22.2 24.6 2.3 2.0 2.5 
			 East of England 13.2 13.0 14.5 1.8 1.4 1.6 
			 London 18.5 16.9 16.1 13.1 11.5 11.6 
			 South West 18.6 19.8 21.0 1.6 1.4 1.4 
			 Southern(9) 14.7 13.3 14.6 2.1 1.9 1.8 
			 South East(9) 12.1 12.6 10.9 2.1 2.0 2.0 
		
	
	(8) Data taken from the UK tourism survey for domestic tourism and the International Passenger Survey for visits from overseas residents.
	(9) Merged with effect from 1 April 2003.
	It is not possible to compare regional data before 2000 with data from 2000 onwards because of changes in the UK Tourism Survey methodology and regional boundary changes, both of which affected survey results.
	Regional breakdowns of estimates of future visitor numbers are not available and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

TV Food Advertisements

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her policy on the (a) prohibition and (b) regulation of televised food advertisement aimed at children.

Kim Howells: The Government's policy is that television advertising should be undertaken responsibly and its regulation should be directed at ensuring the prevention of harm to vulnerable groups including children. To this end, television is regulated by the Independent Television Commission (ITC), which establishes codes covering all television advertising and sponsorship. Broadcasters must comply with these codes and sanctions are available for non-compliance. In relation to food advertising, the codes include provisions to prevent harm notably from advertisements which mislead, make unsubstantiated health claims, disparage good dietary practice or encourage excessive consumption. The ITC keeps the effectiveness of the codes under review and they can be amended, after appropriate consultation, if they are found to be inadequate in preventing harm. The Communications Bill provides for OFCOM to take on the responsibility for ensuring that standards are maintained. The Government believe that these arrangements provide for the effective regulation of television advertising and that at present there is no case for further Government action, such as entirely prohibiting the advertising of food during children's programming.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether young people are involved in the decision-making boards of Connexions partners; and what plans he has to increase such involvement.

Ivan Lewis: Young people are at the heart of the Connexions Service. It is their commitment and support which has helped build an innovative service for young people.
	Many young people have been involved in the governance of Connexions Partnerships as Board members, on Local Management Committees and as Youth or Shadow Board Members. Over 50 young people worked with the Connexions Service National Unit to produce guidance to Connexions Partnerships on involving young people in governance.
	Young people are making a valuable contribution to the decisions made by Partnerships and local management committees. They are involved in helping to define the measures against which the organisation will be judged, in decisions about strategic direction and in helping to develop Business Plans. Young people are involved in assessing bids from potential contractors and in the selection of key personnel including Partnership Chief Executives and the Deputy Chief Executive of the Connexions Service National Unit.
	We will continue to promote the active involvement of young people in all aspects of the Connnexions Service including in governance. Ofsted inspections of Partnerships include inspecting the involvement of young people and their impact on Partnerships. We are supporting Partnerships to ensure that any issues on the involvement of young people in decision-making highlighted by Ofsted inspections are addressed.

Connexions

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons the connexions card is not available for all students in Staffordshire.

Ivan Lewis: The Connexions Card is available to all 16–19 year olds in England. 3,220 young people in Staffordshire currently have a Connexions Card.
	The Connexions Card team is actively working with schools, colleges, work based training organisations and the Connexions Partnership in Staffordshire to increase the number of young people who have the Card.

Creationism

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to ensure that the new Thame Grammar School does not teach creationism in science lessons when it becomes a city academy.

David Miliband: In order to secure a funding agreement with the Secretary of State, the sponsors of an Academy must demonstrate that the Academy will offer a broad and balanced curriculum and teach the core subjects of the national curriculum, including science. Moreover, all pupils are required to study science and be prepared for external examinations in science, which will ensure that an appropriate curriculum is followed.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 553W, on departmental pay, if he will submit an action plan to the Cabinet Office on the subject and place a copy in the Library.

Charles Clarke: My Department has submitted a report on Gender Pay Equality, which includes a Departmental action plan, to the Cabinet Office. Once discussions with Cabinet Office are concluded, we will place a copy of the report in the Library of the House.

Early Excellence Centre (Wycombe)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to establish an early excellence centre in the Wycombe constituency.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 13 May 2003
	We have recently designated our final tranche of Early Excellence Centre (EEC), which brings our total to 107 EECs operating in 80 local authority areas in England. We will not be designating any further EECs. Instead, we will be aiming to establish a children's centre in every one of the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards, building where possible on existing services including Sure Start local programmes, Neighbourhood Nurseries and EECs. Buckinghamshire will receive a small amount of money to develop children's centre services to serve the Booker and Castlefield ward in Wycombe that falls within in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged category.

Education Funding (Suffolk)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated to Suffolk local education authority for the provision of pupil referral units in each of the last five years.

David Miliband: Local education authorities (LEAs) have flexibility in the use of funding allocated for work on preventing and managing exclusions including support for Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). Provisional figures from the January census show that Suffolk LEA had eight PRUs which were catering for 237 pupils.
	Suffolk LEA has not received capital funding specifically for PRUs in the last five years. The Department currently allocates most capital funding for schools and PRUs to LEAs by needs-related formulae, and it is for authorities to assess and prioritise the capital needs of their school and PRU buildings through their asset management planning process, in consultation with local schools. Individual LEAs will therefore hold information on how much capital investment is being directed towards the provision of PRUs.

Education Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the contractual period of appointment is for (a) the Chairman and (b) the Director of Education Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Chairman has been appointed for five years. I understand from Education Leeds that the company does not have a Director of Education, but has a Chief Executive who was appointed for five years by the company's Board of Directors. There are four directors on the company's Board in addition to the Chairman: two of them have appointments which end when the partnership agreement between the council, Education Leeds and Capita terminates; the other two appointments are not time-limited.

Enterprise Initiatives

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the Enterprise Promotion Fund and Enterprise Advisers; and how these initiatives will benefit pupils in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Ivan Lewis: Enterprise advisers will work with secondary schools in disadvantaged areas, advising and helping on the delivery of enterprise education, improving schools' links with business, and encouraging the use of enterprise techniques in school management. We intend the first advisers to be in place from September 2003, working closely with the enterprise education pilot projects for which we have recently invited applications from schools and others. We hope to announce the locations of the pilot projects and the enterprise advisers later in the summer.
	The Enterprise Promotion Fund is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

GCSE Point Scores

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average GCSE point score for pupils in (a) specialist schools, (b) non-specialist comprehensive schools, (c) secondary modern schools and (d) grammar schools was in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The information requested for 2002 results is as follows.
	
		
			 2002 Average capped(10)GCSE/GNVQ point score(11) 
		
		
			 Specialist schools(12) 36.1 
			 Non-specialist comprehensive schools(12) 34.1 
			 Secondary modern schools 30.6 
			 Grammar schools 52.5 
		
	
	(10) Average capped GCSE/GNVQ point scores are calculated using the best eight GCSE/GNVQ results.
	(11) GCSE/GNVQ point scores are calculated as follows:
	GCSE grades A*-G count as 8 to 1 point respectively, GCSE Short Courses grades A*-G count as 4 to ½ respectively. The GNVQ grades D, M and P count as 7½, 6 and 5 points respectively at Intermediate level, and 4, 3 and 1½ points respectively at Foundation level. These points need to be multiplied by two for GNVQ Part One and by four for Full GNVQs.
	(12) All maintained schools designated as specialist/non-specialist as at September 2001 (excludes special schools). Includes grammar and secondary modern schools, which are specialist/non-specialist schools. These schools may also be included in the figures for grammar and secondary modern schools.

GCSE Pupils

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to ensure equal access to subject choice for GCSE pupils of differing abilities in the London Borough of Havering; and if he will make a statement on subject choice for GCSE pupils in the borough.

David Miliband: The Government's policies on subject choice for 14 to 16-year-olds were set out in our strategy document 14–19 Opportunity and Excellence published in January this year. The specific subject choices made available are a matter for local determination.

Ministerial Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

Stephen Twigg: Ministerial transport is provided by the Government Car Service. For information on the cost of ministerial cars and drivers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, (Mr. Alexander) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 663W.
	The cost of taxis, for the Department in 2002, can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Part-time Students

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether part-time students will be able to delay payment of fees until they have completed their courses.[R]

Margaret Hodge: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 562W, on our plans for improving the financial support offered to part-time students.

Physical Activity

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many school sports co-ordinators were in post in England on 1 April 2003;
	(2)  if he will estimate what percentage of children in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are receiving two hours of physical activity per week.

David Miliband: There were 765 school sports co-ordinators in post in April 2003 working in 149 school sports co- ordinator partnerships with 3,525 primary or special school link teachers.
	The Department for Education and Skills does not collect information on the amount of time school children spend on physical activity. Information is collected on progress towards ensuring school children spend at least two hours a week on high quality physical education and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. An ambitious Public Service Agreement target has been set to enhance the take up of sporting opportunities for 5 to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend at least two hours a week on PE and school sport to 75 per cent. by 2006. Currently, about a quarter of schools provide this entitlement at Key Stage 1, two fifths at Key Stage 2 and a third at Key Stages 3 and 4.

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the role of medium sized voluntary youth organisations in activity schemes for young people, with particular reference to Positive Activities for Young People.

Ivan Lewis: Voluntary youth organisations are key to the successful delivery of youth work programmes. The sector supported the design of the new Positive Activities for Young People programme. As a result the programme has been designed to encourage voluntary sector involvement at the local level.

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the administrative costs incurred as a result of using Connexions as the delivery agent for Positive Activities for Young People.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for Education and Skills provides a maximum of 10 per cent. of regional allocation to support administrative costs for Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) Lead Delivery Agents, many of whom are Connexions Partnerships. These costs include local marketing of the programme, staff resource to support the development of plans and the costs of implementing the programme. Evidence from the regions suggests that these administration costs are much less than this (e.g. 6 per cent. in the Wirral). A separate top slice of £2.6 million has been set aside to fund the national evaluation, national management information system, brand development and national support service.

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the role of the voluntary sector within the Positive Activities for Young People scheme.

Ivan Lewis: Government Offices (GOs) and Lead Delivery Agents (LDAs) have been advised to work with a variety of local partners including voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver Positive Activities for Young People. This sector has a very important role to play in the delivery of the programme and is able to reach the most disadvantaged young people. Very often community organisations have the best knowledge about the local needs of an area. This knowledge is being drawn on to inform the targeting of the programme in many areas.

Positive Activities for Young People

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to what extent (a) health, (b) underachievement and (c) exclusion are taken into account when targeting young people to participate in the Positive Activities for Young People scheme.

Ivan Lewis: Positive Activities for Young People programme is aimed at diverting and developing those young people most at risk of social exclusion and committing crime, encouraging engagement in the community, and through voluntary activity programmes, contributing to the promotion of strong and active communities.Government Offices, Lead Delivery Agents and Connexions Partnerships are working closely with other key local partners such as the Youth Offending Teams, Children's Fund Partnerships and Behaviour and Improvement Schools. Together these agencies identify the young people to be targeted to receive intensive key worker support. The factors that are considered include truancy rates, involvement in crime, family background and academic achievement.

Post-16 Education

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what methodology was used to calculate the number of full-time equivalent students studying in (a) sixth form colleges and (b) further education colleges in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 12 May 2003
	The latest published figures on full-time equivalent students are contained within the Departmental Annual Report (DAR) 2003, published on Wednesday 14 May 2003.
	The methodology for calculating full-time equivalent students is the same for both sixth form colleges and further education colleges and has remained unchanged since 1997.
	The Individualised Student Record (ISR), and now the Individualised Learner Record (ILR), contains information on each student's 'guided learning hours' depending on the number and type of qualifications they are studying for in the further education sector. Guided learning hours are described as 'all times when a member of staff is present to give specific guidance towards the qualification or module being studied on a programme'.
	Students with total guided learning hours of 450 or more are classified as one full-time equivalent. Students with less than 450 guided learning hours are counted as a fraction of one full-time equivalent student. This fraction is calculated by dividing the student's guided learning hours by the median guided learning hours for students with a total of 450 or more guided learning hours. The median for students with a total of 450 or more guided learning hours is re-calculated each year.

Pupil Participation

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  which organisations his Department has consulted in drafting the guidance for schools on pupil participation;
	(2)  when he will launch the public consultation on the draft guidance for schools on pupil participation.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has involved two advisory groups, working in parallel in developing draft guidance; a group of adults and one of young people. The organisations represented on the adult group include: the National Youth Agency (NYA), National Children's Bureau (NCB), Save the Children, CYPU, QCA and Ofsted. Representatives of the teaching unions, LEAs and National Association of Governors and Managers (NAGM) also sit on the group. 12 young people sit on the young people's group.
	We plan to launch the public consultation process before the summer recess.

Skills Training

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received regarding making skills training and its funding more flexible in meeting the requirements of employers; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government are consulting a wide range of external organisations and employers in the development of the National Skills Strategy. The process has included a series of regional Skill Summits and a monthly Stakeholder Group meeting. On 26 March the Department published a Progress Report, "Developing a National Skills Strategy and Delivery Plan", which invited comments from recipients. At the same time, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) published a consultation document on funding adult learning. Each local LSC is holding consultation events with employers and learning providers in their area. Responses are currently being considered. A summary of responses will be set out in the National Skills Strategy White Paper to be published in June. Throughout the process, a key message from employers has been the need to make adult skills training and funding more responsive to their needs.

Specialist Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what direct investment is made into the relevant subject specialism of a school with specialist status; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Specialist schools receive a one-off capital grant of £100,000 (together with £50,000 raised from private sector sponsorship) and additional annual funding of £123 per pupil. This funding is to support the achievement of the objectives and targets set out in the specialist school development plan, which is focused on the specialism of the school. We expect specialist schools to allocate one third of their specialist school annual grant to implementing the community element of the development plan.

Sponsorship

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship in the last financial year; who the sponsor was in each case; what the nature of each project was; what time-period was covered by each project; what the total cost of each project was; how much money was involved in each sponsorship deal; and if she will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: Details of individual amounts of sponsorship valued at more than £5,000 are published in my Department's Annual Report. The 2003 Annual Report was published on 14 May. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

Stoke-on-Trent LEA

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what resources have been allocated to Stoke-on-Trent LEA in the last five years.

David Miliband: The following table shows the resources allocated to Stoke-on-Trent Local Education Authority since 1999–2000.
	
		Specific and targeted grant funding allocated by DfES to Stoke-on-Trent LEA -- £ million
		
			 Grant 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 (13)2003–04 
		
		
			 Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending 99.5 104.2 107.6 110.6 122.4 
			 DfES Grant 9.3 25.0 27.0 27.6 29.4 
			 Total 108.8 129.2 134.6 138.2 151.8 
		
	
	(13) Estimated
	Notes:
	1. Education Formula Spending (EFS):
	a. The figure for 2002–03 does not include funding for sixth forms transferred to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) from 2002–2003 and is not fully comparable with the earlier figures.
	b. The figure for 2003–2004 is not fully comparable with 2002–2003 and the earlier figures. It does not include funding for sixth forms transferred to the LSC. But it does include funding transferred into EFS from grant and to take account of the increase in contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme
	2. From 2003–04 the Class Size Grant and the Nursery Education Grant were distributed via EFS.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in each subject in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; and what these figures represent as a percentage of all teachers.

David Miliband: A table showing the number of teacher vacancies in maintained secondary schools in England has been placed in the Library. Vacancies by subject are available only for secondary schools. The most recent data available at local education authority level are for January 2002. Vacancy rates are not available because data for the denominator (teacher numbers by subject) are not available at LEA level.
	The most recent data available at local authority level is for January 2002. Recently published provisional vacancy information at national level shows that vacancies in maintained schools decreased from 4,540 in 2002 to 3,400 in 2003. The vacancy rate reduced from 1.2 per cent. in 2002 to 0.9 per cent. in 2003.
	Vacancies are recorded for posts which have been advertised for full-time appointments of at least one term's duration, that exist on the 618G survey date of the third Thursday in January. These are posts which the Local Education Authority/school intends to fill, including those for which they have unsuccessfully attempted to make an appointment, or for which an appointment has been made but the appointee has not taken up the post. A post which has been filled by a temporary appointment of less than one term, pending the finding of a more permanent appointee, is regarded as a vacancy. A post would not be recorded as a vacancy if someone appointed to that post on a full-time contract of one term or more has filled the post.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant teacher posts there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools, as a percentage of the total number of teachers, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant (a) head teacher posts, (b) deputy head teacher and (c) teacher posts there were in (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) special schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant deputy head teacher posts there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools as a percentage of the total number of deputy head teachers, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with (a) local authorities and (b) trade unions on the subject of early retirement.

David Miliband: We have not had any specific discussions with either local authorities or teacher unions about early retirement. There are provisions within the Teachers' Pension Scheme under which employers can award premature retirement to teachers over the age of 50. The decision on whether an individual teacher should be granted early retirement is for the employer to take having regard to cost and the circumstances of each case.

Teachers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the state of the Teachers' Superannuation Fund.

David Miliband: The Teachers' Pension Scheme is unfunded. It is, however, subject to periodic valuations by the Government Actuary. The most recent valuation, covering the five years up to March 2001, was published in March of this year. A copy of the valuation report has been placed in the Library.

Textile Industry

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking to support training in the clothing and textiles industry to follow up the Strategic Training in Apparel and Textiles programme.

Ivan Lewis: DfES in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council, Department of Trade and Industry, Small Business Service and Skillfast-UK (the Sector Skills Council for the industry), have developed FAST Forward a business support and training pilot that gives apparel, footwear and textiles manufacturers direct access to skills training to support strategic business change.
	The aim of the 12 month pilot will be to develop a sustainable approach to business support and training provision for the industry. It opens up the potential for employers to work with the Learning and Skills Council to develop the range of specialist sector training provision available.
	FAST Forward was launched on 26 March and will build on the successful experience of Strategic Training for Apparel and Textiles (STAT).

TREASURY

Census Forms

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 603W, on census forms, how many households received census forms; what assessment he has made of the impact of households returning forms (a) early and (b) late; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information falls within the responsibility of the National statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated May 2003
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent further question concerning the 1991 Census. (114607)
	The delivery of census forms for the 1991 Census took place between 12 and 18 April 1991, although in some areas, particularly inner cities, forms were being delivered up to Census day— 21 April 1991.
	In the 1991 Census, forms were collected by enumerators during the collection round between 22 and 25 April. However it was anticipated that a number of forms would be posted back direct and measures had been put in place to deal with direct postal returns. Just over 1,000 forms were returned prior to Census day and these were transferred to the processing office for inclusion in processing. The early receipt of these forms had no impact on the 1991 Census.
	During the collection round, the timing of which was originally extended until 29 April in inner city areas, enumerators checked the forms briefly for any omissions, and issued further forms where contact had not been established or where there was some uncertainty about the occupation of the accommodation. Where households were absent a form was left asking the householders to complete and return the form to the local field staff. Due to the large number of uncollected forms, mainly from non-contacts and in inner cities, the collection period was extended into May in some areas and specially targeted postal facilities were introduced in the very worst areas to allow forms to be returned direct to OPCS (now ONS). Forms continued to be received in this way until early July.
	A processing order of Counties and Regions had been agreed in advance, and the late returns did cause some problems, particularly for Inner London and counties early in the processing order, because it was necessary to insert the forms into their correct position prior to processing. Information about those households known to be present but for which no form was received in time to be included in the processing was imputed.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter of 5 March 2003 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding climate change levy which was transferred to his Department for answer from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 March 2003 (ref. 180356/AP).

John Healey: I have done so.

Enterprise Areas

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the benefits of the new enterprise areas; how many areas will be eligible in each Government office region; and what benefits they will bring to the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

John Healey: A key element of the Government's enterprise policy is the recognition that social attitudes, the business environment and specific market failures can present significantly higher barriers to enterprise within the UK's disadvantaged communities. Moreover it is in these communities that the benefits of enterprise are likely to have the greatest social impact through promoting increased economic activity and the creation of jobs. The Government is therefore concentrating particular efforts on the needs of the Enterprise Areas, the most deprived communities across the UK, with the intention of increasing the amount of enterprise in these communities.
	In England the Enterprise Areas are defined at electoral ward level. The following numbers of wards are eligible in each region.
	East Midlands—128
	East of England—55
	London—233
	North East—208
	North West—284
	South East—60
	South West—55
	West Midlands—116
	Yorkshire and Humberside—123
	The Inland Revenue website contains a postcode search tool for the Enterprise Areas at www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/so/pcode search.htm.
	Particular measures that will benefit businesses in the Enterprise Areas, including those in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, include the exemption from stamp duty of all non-residential property transactions, which will reduce the costs to business of locating and investing in disadvantaged areas, and the introduction of the community investment tax relief, which is intended to increase the amount of investment in disadvantaged communities.
	The Government is also putting in place measures to improve planning flexibility in these areas such as the introduction of Business Planning Zones in the current Planning Bill—these are areas in which there will be no requirement to apply for planning permission where predetermined criteria are met—and taking steps to help local authorities ensure that the planning system is transparent, accessible and affordable for businesses in these areas. These are set out in Budget 2003.
	The Enterprise Areas were designated in the Pre-Budget Report in November 2002. Evaluation is being or will be conducted on a number of the policy measures, though no results are yet available. An evaluation of the fiscal measures introduced to stimulate the regeneration of deprived urban areas, including exemptions from stamp duty, is being commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

EU Accession Referendums

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 105W, on EU Accession Referendums, if he will list, by accession country, the funds available to support (a) the provision of information and (b) information centres; if he will list (i) the projects supported over the past 12 months and (ii) the projects to be supported in the immediate future; what publications have been supported; and if he will make a statement on the nature of scrutiny by the Government of compliance with guidelines on impartiality with regard to the services and funding provided.

John Healey: Commission funding for information and information centres concerning accession and the EU comes from the PHARE 1 pre-accession programme for accession states and candidate countries, as well as from the separate pre-accession programmes for Turkey, Malta and Cyprus. Commission funding is also available from the Priority Information Programme for European Citizens (PRINCE) in the case of existing member states. According to Commission figures, the financial commitments for centralised and decentralised programmes can be summarised as follows (in millions of Euros):
	
		
			 Decentralised funds 2001 2002 2003(14) 
		
		
			 Slovakia 0.65 0.66  
			 Slovenia 0.72 0.87  
			 Hungary 1.00 1.17  
			 Czech Republic 0.90 1.10  
			 Latvia 0.67 0.55  
			 Lithuania 0.68 0.70 
			 Estonia 0.61 0.56  
			 Poland 1.56 1.70  
			 Cyprus 0.20 0.20  
			 Malta 0.20 0.20  
			 Romania 0.85 0.95  
			 Bulgaria 0.55 0.62  
			 Turkey 0.60 0.70  
			 Total 9.19 9.98 11.5 
			 PRINCE 5.4 9.75 13.0 
			 Centralised funds
			 PHARE regulation 2.50 2.50 2.50 
			 PRINCE 1.20 2.20 2.20 
			 Total 3.70 4.70 4.70 
			  Centralised and decentralised funds 
			 Total 18.29 24.43 29.2 
		
	
	(14) an individual country breakdown is not currently available for 2003
	The Commission does not publish figures which distinguish between spending on general information and funding for information centres.
	1 PHARE originally stood for 'Poland and Hungary Assistance for Restructuring the Economy'—however, this programme has since been expanded beyond the two original participants to cover all of the Candidate Countries.
	The Information and Communication Programme is a unified programme which does not split into individual projects. The publications produced are of a general nature and explain the implications of EU membership. Further information concerning details of the Commission's communication strategy, including publications and information on current and future projects, can be found on the Commission's Enlargement website at: europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/communication/index.htm.
	The Commission's May 2002 Communication Strategy for Enlargement sets out general guidelines for its information activities. These guidelines include a commitment that ". . . The emphasis [of the Communication strategy] will be on providing objective information, with the Commission eschewing any messages which could be misconstrued as 'propaganda'. It is the Commission's responsibility to manage specific programmes and ensure that activities, including those of its delegations, conform with agreed programme guidelines. In addition, all Commission employees and representatives are bound by a "Code of Good Administrative Behaviour", and any citizen who considers they have not been treated according to this code has the right to make a complaint.

Euro

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent on the Euro changeover plan; and if he will estimate planned expenditure over the next three years.

Paul Boateng: Details of expenditure on changeover planning were included in the Sixth Report on Euro Preparations, published on 18 July 2002. Copies of the report are in the Library of the House.

Financial Advisers

Martin Caton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the companies providing independent financial advice that the Financial Services Authority has required to cease regulated activities because they have been unable to secure professional indemnity insurance.

Paul Boateng: I am advised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) that three independent financial adviser (IFA) firms have had their authorisations to conduct regulated business cancelled, in circumstances where the absence of professional indemnity insurance (PII) was wholly, or in part, an issue. There are about 3,500 IFA firms in the UK.
	The FSA continues to work closely with independent financial adviser firms who are experiencing difficulty obtaining PII. A firm will not necessarily be required to cease regulated activities where it cannot obtain PII cover.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices includes (a) housing costs and (b) council tax.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from L. Cook to Mr. A. Flook, dated May 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking whether the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (H1CP) includes (a) housing costs and (b) council tax. (113578)
	The HICP does not include council tax and certain costs faced by owner occupiers including mortgage interest payments, house depreciation and buildings insurance. Housing costs included in the HICP are rentals paid by tenants and minor repairs and maintenance charges typically paid by both tenants and owner occupiers alike.

Illegal Meat Imports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional funds have been provided for the new responsibilities of HM Customs and Excise to tackle illegal meat imports; and how these funds are broken down for each major port of entry into the UK.

John Healey: Of the £25million that the Government are investing over three years in its action plan to deter illegal meat imports, Customs has been allocated £4 million for 2003–04. Allocations for the next two years are yet to be determined. Customs is allocating these funds on the basis of activities such as mobile detection strike force and dog teams, who will be deployed at any port or airport according to risk.

Illegal Meat Imports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if samples are taken from all seizures of illegal meats made by HM Customs and Excise (a) in terminals and (b) inside cargo sheds.

John Healey: It is not Customs' practice to take samples from illegal meat seized under the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. Customs does, however, sometimes take samples from consignments of imported goods and is currently sampling consignments of chicken for liability to Customs duty.

Illegal Meat Imports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how illegal meat seizures made by HM Customs and Excise at each of the country's main ports of entry are (a) contained upon seizure and (b) destroyed.

John Healey: Seizures of illegal meat are sealed and held under Customs control in suitable refrigerated or freezer storage until they go for disposal, go to a local incinerator, they are collected frequently by contractors in accordance with EU Regulations.

Rafidain Bank

John Gummer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been made to compensate British nationals who were denied payments following the sequestration of the Rafidain bank after the Gulf War of 1991; and when they will be paid in full their outstanding moneys, including the accrued interest.

Paul Boateng: The court placed the London branch of the Rafidain bank in provisional liquidation in 1991. The funds remain under the control of the court and, as a matter of law, must be used towards the general obligations of the bank. The Government do not compensate individuals for losses suffered or contracts broken as a result of the implementation of United Nations sanctions policies.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of the new research and development tax credit on companies (a) in the UK and (b) in Teesside.

John Healey: Research and Development (R&D) tax credits were introduced for small and medium companies in 2000. They were extended to all companies in 2002 and further improvements are being made in the Finance Bill. No specific figures are available for Teesside, but the credits helped some 3000 small and medium-sized innovative companies nationally last year, delivering £150 million of support for UK R&D.

Small Business

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the measures he has introduced since 1997, including programme names and funding allocations, to support and promote small businesses in England.

John Healey: The Government's approach to promoting small business and entrepreneurship was set out in detail in "Enterprise Britain: a modern approach to meeting the enterprise challenge", published alongside the 2002 Pre-Budget Report.
	Broad estimates of spending on schemes and initiatives for small business operated at a national level are contained in the Cross-cutting review of government services for small business, published last September For many services, small businesses are one of a number of customers, so a more detailed breakdown of spending is not currently available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

State Retirement Pension

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to include average annual increase in council tax and utility bills rather than the retail prices index as a basis for assessing the annual increase in the state retirement pension; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply
	The Retail Prices Index (RPI) is representative of consumer spending patterns. The items in the RPI are kept under review and already include average council tax bills for households in Great Britain and average rates bills in Northern Ireland. Also included are amounts for utilities including water, sewerage and environmental charges, telephone charges, electricity, gas, coal and solid fuels and oil and other fuels.
	The full list of items can be found on the National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.uk
	However, we increased the basic state pension by more than RPI in the last three years.

Valuation Office Agency (Liverpool)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the quality of performance of the Valuation Office Agency in Liverpool.

Dawn Primarolo: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) operates 22 Group Valuation Offices throughout England and Wales. The VOA has recently introduced a range of different indicators of performance covering customer services, people management and key business results, both financial and non-financial. Final audited figures for 2002–03 are not available, but the initial figures show the Liverpool Group in the upper quartile.

HEALTH

Sexual Health

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make advice leaflets on sexual health available in more languages.

Hazel Blears: Primary care trusts are responsible for providing sexual health services and information which is accessible and appropriate to local needs.
	The Department of Health will shortly publish practical guidance for those undertaking sexual health promotion and HIV prevention locally. It will emphasise the importance of providing information in community languages relevant to local needs, including interpretation services where appropriate.
	The Department funds HIV information resources for African communities in English and French. A pilot African AIDS Helpline is currently available in English, French and three other African languages. The national sexual health information line is available to non-English speakers through use of the Language Line translation service.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) proportion of the NHS pay bill and (b) cash amount will be available to pay weighting to staff in high cost areas under Agenda for Change.

John Hutton: Under the proposed Agenda for Change agreement, an additional £110 million in the first full year of national implementation will be invested in a new system of high cost area payments for National Health Service staff working in London and the fringe areas. For 2005–06, this will mean total expenditure of around £700 million on high cost area payments, including on-costs, in London and the fringe, or around 3 per cent, of the NHS pay bill excluding medical and dental staff. The proposed agreement provides scope for high cost area payments to be applied in other areas in future, where appropriate and for NHS organisations to pay recruitment and retention premia locally subject to certain criteria.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected cost to the Exchequer is of (a) the pay element of Agenda for Change in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms and (b) the administration costs of the Agenda for Change process.

John Hutton: By 2005–06, the first full year of national implementation, the expected cost of the pay element of Agenda for Change proposals will be around £950 million in England. This includes provision for the costs associated with the proposals for additional annual leave and changes to working hours. The figure does not include annual uplifts in pay awards for the cost of living, which have been set at 3.225 per cent. as part of the "Agenda for Change" package. It is not possible to give a firm estimate of the projected administrative costs associated with implementing "Agenda for Change", but we anticipate that these costs will be outweighed by the longer-term savings resulting from harmonisation and rationalisation of current pay systems in the national health service.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on whether there should be a second ballot of the the workforce in 2004 on Agenda for Change.

John Hutton: It is a matter for the National Health Service trades unions and staff organisations involved to decide when and on what questions they conduct ballots of their members. The proposed "Agenda for Change" agreement includes a partnership agreement setting out the intended benefits of pay reform for NHS patients and NHS staff and the success criteria that will be used, subject to the outcome of the unions' current consultation process, to measure progress during the 'early implementation' phase. The Department is committed to working in partnership with NHS staff organisations and NHS employers to ensure that the appropriate action is taken in the event that these criteria are not sufficiently met.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which NHS job profiles he expects an increase in the length of the working week under Agenda for Change.

John Hutton: Under the Agenda for Change proposals, there is no automatic connection between a job evaluation profile and any change in the length of the working week for a post covered by that profile. The proposals include a harmonised working week of 37½ hours for full-time national health service staff covered by Agenda for Change, including provisions to phase in these arrangements for staff who currently have longer or shorter hours. In broad terms, the proposals involve a phased increase in the working week for the Whitley groupings of professions allied to medicine, administrative and clerical, professional and technical staff B and speech and language therapists' assistants. A number of staff groups work unconditioned hours and there are national provisions for working hours to be determined locally for a number of staff groups. All of these will move over time to 37½ hours under the proposed agreement.
	The implications for staff currently on local contracts will depend on the terms of their individual contracts.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the pay bands are for the (a) clinical coders, (b) medical secretaries, (c) medical records clerks and (d) maintenance fitters (support services); and what the proposed pay bands are under Agenda for Change.

John Hutton: There are currently no nationally agreed payscales specifically for clinical coders, medical secretaries, medical records clerks or maintenance fitters (support services). Pay is determined either by reference to the national pay and grade structures for national health service administrative and clerical staff and maintenance staff or by reference to locally designed pay and grading structures.
	Under the Agenda for Change proposals, there is no automatic fit between current job title and new pay band. NHS posts will, where possible, be matched against national job evaluation profiles by comparing the duties and responsibilities of the post with those described in the national profiles.
	The table shows profiles that have been agreed for some medical secretary jobs, medical records clerk jobs and maintenance support worker jobs, but these profiles do not purport to cover the full range of jobs currently undertaken by staff with these job titles and further job profiles are likely to be agreed in some of these cases. A profile for a clinical coder is being produced.
	The table also shows the value of the corresponding basic pay bands under the Agenda for Change proposals at 2002–03 pay levels, before taking into account the proposed 3.225 per cent. pay uplifts in 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. This excludes any additional pay that staff in these jobs may receive by virtue of recruitment and retention premia.
	
		
			 Job profile Proposed basic pay range for 2002–03 
		
		
			 Medical Secretary £12,450 to £14,900 
			 Medical Records Clerk £10,100 to £11,100 
			 Maintenance Support Worker Lower Level £10,100 to £11,100 
			 Maintenance Support Worker Higher Level £10,800 to £13,400

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees he estimates will require pay protection under Agenda for Change; and what proportion of the workforce this represents.

John Hutton: Assuming no changes in the deployment of staff, we estimate that around 8 per cent. of staff covered by the Agenda for Change proposals would require pay protection. The proposed agreement includes provisions to ensure that, as soon as possible during the period of protection, there would be a review to explore whether the staff concerned could be reassigned to a higher weighted job or offered development and training to fit them for a higher weighted job.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average annual increase above inflation which NHS employees will receive over the first three years if Agenda for Change is implemented.

John Hutton: The Agenda for Change proposals include a 10 per cent. uplift to basic pay over the three years from April 2003 to March 2006, or 3.225 per cent. in each year. The most recent estimate of annual growth in the Retail Price Index is 3.1 per cent. We estimate that the Agenda for Change proposals, if approved following consultation by staff organisations, will result in an additional increase in basic pay of 2.5 per cent. on average over the first three years, rising to 5.9 per cent. in the longer term.

Agenda for Change

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long the Government have been preparing the job evaluation profiles under Agenda for Change; and for which categories these are yet to be completed.

John Hutton: The preparation of job evaluation profiles, as an integral part of the development of the new national health service job evaluation scheme, has been conducted jointly between the United Kingdom health departments, NHS staff organisations and NHS employer representatives. The process of jointly agreeing draft profiles for publication began in November 2002 when negotiations on the proposed new pay system were concluded. There is no set target for the number and categories of profiles to be produced.

Adolescent Wards

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals operate single sex adolescent wards (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of all adolescent wards.

John Hutton: The information requested is not available in this format as compliance with single sex accommodation guidelines is measured on a trust by trust basis and not at individual ward level.
	Adolescent wards are expected to meet the same single sex accommodation standards advised for adult areas.

Adoption/Fostering

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many looked after children there were in each of the last five years; and how many children were adopted in each year.

Jacqui Smith: The numbers of looked after children and number of children who were adopted in each of the last five years in England are shown in the table.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Children adopted from local council care in England during the year ending 31 March 2,100 2,200 2,700 3,100 3,400 
			 (as a percentage of all children looked after by local councils in England at 31 March) (4) (4) (5) (5) (6) 
			 Children looked after by local councils in England at 31 March(15) 53,300 55,500 58,100 58,900 59,700 
		
	
	(15) Excludes children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
	Note:
	All figures rounded to the nearest 100.

Adoption/Fostering

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the numbers of (a) foster carers and (b) adoptive families; and what steps his Department is taking to encourage more adoptive and foster families to come forward.

Jacqui Smith: The number of children in foster placements at 31 March 2002 was 39,200. The numbers of foster carers are not collected centrally. However, the Choice Protects review is considering ways to collect this information in the future. The review is also looking at a number of issues that affect the recruitment and retention of foster carers, including role and status, training, support and rewards.
	The Department has also worked closely with both the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions to introduce an appropriate tax threshold for foster carers and extend Home Responsibilities Protection to foster carers. Both changes were recently announced at the beginning of April 2003 and should encourage recruitment and retention of foster carers.
	We do not collect data centrally on the numbers of adoptive families. On 16 May 2003, the Adoption Register for England and Wales included 1,068 families who were approved as suitable to adopt and waiting to be matched with children.
	The Adoption and Children Act 2002 overhauls the legal framework for adoption. Adoption support services are a key part of the Act and should encourage more people to adopt looked after children. The Government is determined to deliver early improvements in the provision of adoption support and recently announced an extra £70 million over three years for local authorities to develop their adoption support services.
	The Department of Health is committed to supporting local and national recruitment activity, through support of National Adoption Week. The Department made a further £60,000 available to support National Adoption Week in 2002, following a grant of £50,000 in 2001.
	The Department has also developed an "Adopter Recruitment" Toolkit and an information video for use by adoption agencies in preparing adopters.

Anti-depressants

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has policies in place that encourage that anti-depressive drugs, which are used to treat depression in women, are tested on women during the drug qualification process.

Jacqui Smith: The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), on behalf of the Licensing Authority, grants marketing authorisations for medicinal products provided that satisfactory quality, safety and efficacy data have been submitted for the medicinal product for use in the proposed indication and that the risk benefit is deemed favourable. Part of the assessment process involves ensuring that the target population to be treated has been adequately represented in the clinical trials submitted in support of the application.

Bioterrorism

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many analytical laboratories across the UK have the (a) equipment and (b) expertise to provide a testing service for (i) anthrax, (ii) botulism, (iii) staphylococcus enterotoxin B, (iv) ricin, (v) plague and (vi) smallpox.

John Hutton: Most of the clinical microbiology laboratories within national health service trust hospitals and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have the equipment and expertise to undertake initial testing for anthrax, botulism and plague. Subsequent confirmation and specialist tests are carried out only by a small number of specialist laboratories.
	Smallpox is categorised as a Hazard Group 4 pathogen and consequently testing for smallpox can only be undertaken in laboratories that are designated as suitable for handling this Hazard Group. Only two laboratories in the United Kingdom, both within the HPA, are fully equipped to test human specimens for smallpox.
	Testing for staphylococcus enterotoxin B is carried out at the HPA's Food Hygiene Reference Laboratory.
	Testing for ricin is carried out by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down.

Bioterrorism

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methods are recommended by his Department and its agencies to routinely test for (a) anthrax, (b) botulism, (c) ricin, (d) staphylococcus enterotoxin B, (e) plague and (f) smallpox.

John Hutton: Guidance on the laboratory handling and testing of diagnostic samples for anthrax, botulism, plague, staphylococcal enterotoxin and smallpox and is available on the Health Protection Agency website at http://www.phls.org.uk.
	Testing for ricin is not routinely undertaken and there are currently no laboratories in the health service that can test for ricin. This service is provided by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to issue statutory guidance to local authorities requiring them to enter into contract with care home providers which fully protect residents' Article 8 rights.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 13 May 2003
	The Department currently has no plans to provide guidance on standard contractual terms in areas that might be affected by case law on Article 8 rights. We would expect local authorities to have proper regard to the Human Rights Act, including in cases where they enter into arrangements with others for the provision of services. In any cases of difficulty, local authorities can call upon their own legal advisers.

Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for drawing up standards for day centres.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten) on 10 February 2003, Official Report, columns 589–90W.

Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements his Department has made to ensure that health care assistants working in care settings registered under Part II of the Care Standards Act 2000 are registered with the General Social Care Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Jacqui Smith: The General Social Care Council opened the Social Care Register on 1 April 2003. The first part of the register to open is for qualified social workers. The register will be open to other groups of social care workers once this initial part is established.
	The Government plan to launch shortly a consultation document with proposals for regulating health care support workers.

Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the National Care Standards Commission and Commission for Health Improvement have agreed for the other body to undertake their functions as provided for by the Care Standards Act 2000.

Jacqui Smith: There have been no occasions on which the National Care Standards Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement have agreed to undertake one another's functions, as provided for in the Care Standards Act 2000.

Carers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to enhance the position of carers under the age of 16.

Jacqui Smith: We are taking a number of steps to help young carers. We are providing funding through the Carers Special Grant. The grant is worth £100 million in 2003–04, of which 20 per cent. is earmarked for children's services, including young carers, which enable young carers to have a break.
	We are also funding The Children's Society to undertake a three-year project, the Young Carers Initiative. This has involved direct consultation with young carers, leading to the publication last November, with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, of "Making it Work, Good Practice with Young Carers and Their Families".
	The initiative supports more than 250 projects or groups across the country working with young carers, where they can go for advice, information and support or leisure. The initiative has just entered its final year and is concentrating on developing standards for work with young carers.
	Further, we are ensuring that young carers' needs are taken into account in developing work such as the national service framework for children.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all social services departments have received the new, shorter guidance on aspects of child protection.

Jacqui Smith: "What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused" was published on 19 May 2003. It is available on the Department of Health's website at: www.doh.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren/ and distribution of hard copies has now begun, including to local authority chief executives, and directors of social services to pass on to their staff. Copies are available in the Library.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in ensuring that children in custody are protected by the Children Act 1989.

Jacqui Smith: The duties of councils with social services responsibilities towards children, including those in prisons, are set out in the Children Act 1989 and its associated regulations and guidance.
	The Department of Health is working with the Home Office, the Youth Justice Board and the Prison Service to consider the implications of Mr. Justice Munby's judgment in the recent judicial review case brought by the Howard League, together with Recommendation 2.8 of the Joint Chief Inspectors' report, "Safeguarding Children" (October 2002), which states that:
	"The Home Office and Youth Justice Board should:
	Issue revised guidance to the prison service and the ACPC member organisations on the requirements and arrangements to safeguard children in prisons and Young Offender Institutions."
	Note:
	ACPC—Area Child Protection Committee.

Children's National Service Framework

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether targets to improve the treatment of specific common conditions will be included in the Children's National Service Framework.

Jacqui Smith: The Children's National Service Framework will set out standards for a wide range of children's and young people's services. Rather than address specific conditions and related targets, the standards are likely to outline what support should be available to children and their parents in managing a range of conditions and problems. This will emphasise the promotion of evidence-based clinical guidelines and will provide examples of good practice.

Continuing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 8 May 2003, Official Report, column 867W, on continuing care funding, what the procedure is for estimating the numbers of people who may have been wrongly denied continuing care; what the estimates are for each area; and what estimate he has made of the cost of the care which was wrongly denied.

Jacqui Smith: The procedure is based on local information about the nursing home population. The estimate of numbers and costs have not yet been completed.

Continuing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2003, Official Report, column 867W, on continuing care funding, how many strategic health authorities were contacted by his Department to seek out further information regarding their continuing care guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 May 2003
	The Department contacted all strategic health authorities.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new criminal offences have been created in legislation drawn up by his Department since 1997.

John Hutton: The Department of Health has created 74 criminal offences in legislation passed since 1997, of which 26 criminal offences replace those contained in earlier legislation. A list of the legislation and the offences has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Underspending

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce his Department's underspend in 2003–04 from that of 2002–03.

John Hutton: The 2003 Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses, published on Tuesday 6 May, shows a current estimated underspend of £227 million in 2002–03, this is less than 0.4 per cent, of total provision. Planned spending for 2003–04 will be published in the departmental report.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which standards in the Children's National Service Framework will cover improving the treatment of enuresis and paediatric continence.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 87W.

European Working Groups

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

John Hutton: The Government have long been committed to greater openness in European Union institutions. This was a key theme of the United Kingdom's presidencies in 1992 and 1998. Making it easier to gain access to non-sensitive documents is crucial to this. The Government welcomed Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. As a result, more documents are released to the public, while genuinely sensitive documents are given the protection they need.
	Accountability and transparency of council business to Parliament are ensured by the scrutiny process, to which the Government are also firmly committed.
	We strongly supported the measures agreed at the Seville European Council to make the Council more open when in legislating mode. We remain committed to increasing transparency. The Future of Europe Convention is also looking at ways to make the EU more open.

Foundation Hospitals

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether foundation hospitals will provide services unavailable in normally-funded hospitals.

John Hutton: National Health Service foundation trusts will be established with the principal purpose of providing NHS services to NHS patients. Services in NHS foundation trusts will, as now, be commissioned by primary care trusts.

Foundation Hospitals

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals he estimates will have Foundation Status by April 2004.

John Hutton: Subject to legislation, the first wave of national health service foundation trusts will be established in April 2004. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced in his written statement on 14 May 2003, Official Report, columns 9–10WS, 29 NHS trusts are entering the preparatory stage for NHS foundation trust status. Each application for NHS foundation trust status will need the support of the Secretary of State. The applications will be submitted by autumn 2003.

Framework Convention for Tobacco Control

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the state of negotiations over the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, and his policy on it.

Hazel Blears: Negotiations first began on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2000 and the final negotiating round concluded on 1 March 2003 with the production of a draft text for transmission to the World Health Assembly. The text is due to be agreed by consensus at the World Health Assembly. The Government indicated its support for this World Health Organisation initiative in the 1998 White Paper, Smoking Kills. Since then, the Government has been firmly committed to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Government intends to support its adoption.

Fresh Air Charter

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet the British Asthma Society to discuss the Breath of Fresh Air Charter; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has responded to the National Asthma Campaign's Ten Point Charter for asthma sufferers.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 May 2003
	The charter was launched by the National Asthma Campaign on 6 May and sets out ten rights that a person with asthma might expect from the National Health Service. During an adjournment debate on the same day I welcomed the publication of the charter and outlined progress on developing asthma care.

Health Indicators

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to address the impact of health indicators on differences in life expectancy between different London boroughs.

John Hutton: The Government has a Public Service Agreement target to reduce inequalities in health outcomes by 10 per cent., as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth. In order to track progress towards this high level target, local indicators can be used to assess the effect of action on geographical health inequalities. The process of developing the London Health Strategy included identifying a set of 10 such indicators that would be used to measure changes over time and to monitor progress towards reducing health inequalities. This includes an indicator on life expectancy at birth.
	The indicators can be used to contribute to a picture of inequalities in health across London's population, including variations between London boroughs and to establish whether action taken is having the desired effect.

Health Service Finance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1210W, on health service finance, what the deficit was for each NHS trust in England at the beginning of the current financial year; and what his most recent estimate is of the deficit of each of the trusts by the end of the financial year.

John Hutton: At the beginning of the current financial year, all national health service trusts planned a breakeven or better position, except Royal United Bath NHS trust (£15 million deficit) and United Bristol Healthcare NHS trust (£9.4 million deficit).
	The audited information in respect of the 2002–03 financial performance of all NHS trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts. The audited information will be available centrally in autumn 2003. We have no plans to publish national, in year, unaudited financial information. These figures are considered to be exempt under Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Health Service Ombudsman

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which strategic health authorities are seeking legal advice regarding the health service ombudsman report on continuing care; and what estimate his Department has made of the number of people that may have been forced to sell their homes to pay for care.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 May 2003
	All strategic health authorities have been advised to take legal advice when drawing up new criteria for continuing care.
	The Department has made no estimate of the number of people who may have sold their homes following a decision that the national health service would not fully finance continuing care.

Hospital Smoking Areas

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which hospitals smoking rooms or areas for (a) patients and (b) staff have been built in each year since 1997; and what the cost of building work was in each case.

John Hutton: These data are not collected centrally.

Housing Benefit

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of people with learning disabilities who may lose entitlement to housing benefit as a result of their accommodation being registered as a care home by the National Care Standards Commission.

Jacqui Smith: There was no intention through the Care Standards Act to widen the scope of regulation to new types of accommodation that had not previously been required to register as care homes. The type of care provided in a home, which will trigger registration is fundamentally unchanged. We have not, therefore, made an assessment.
	Whether a particular establishment needs to register as a care home is a matter for the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC). Statutory guidance was issued to the NCSC in August 2002 explaining in broad terms where registration as a care home is required and how to distinguish care homes from supported housing of various kinds. Proprietors can appeal against decisions they don't agree with.

Long-term Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to publicise the Health Service Ombudsman Report on NHS funding for Long Term Care to the public.

Jacqui Smith: All strategic health authorities have been advised by the Department to take appropriate measures to make local people aware that a review of enquires arising from the Ombudsman's report is taking place.

ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how the funding announced on 12 May for service development for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome will be distributed;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the level and range of service provision for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jacqui Smith: We have made no formal assessment of the level and range of service provision for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME). Part of the process of developing the independent working group's report on CFS/ME was to look at the level of service provision. We have also given Action for ME £66,000 from Section 64 funding for their Statutory Service Models project that will undertake a mapping exercise to identify existing services.
	The funding of £8.5 million, announced on May 12, will be used to develop services for people with CFS/ME. In July, health organisations will be invited to bid for development funds to set up centres of expertise to develop clinical care, support clinical research and expand education and training programmes for health care professionals. The first phase of development will commence in April 2004.

Mental Health

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned to assess how far (a) inadequate treatment and (b) misdiagnosis based on a rigid biomedical diagnostic framework leads to (i) mental anguish, (ii) suicide and (iii) illegal drug use.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has not commissioned any such research.

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific training (a) there is and (b) is planned for health practitioners which highlights gender differences in mental illness; what the training consists of; and when it is offered.

Jacqui Smith: Information on what specific training there is for health practitioners which highlights gender differences in mental illness, what the training consists of and when it is offered is not held centrally. The forthcoming implementation guidance for the women's mental health strategy will make recommendations that will assist services to develop local training initiatives. As part of developing an implementation programme to support this, we will need to work with the workforce development confederations to consider what the education and training needs are of the mental health workforce around gender and gender differences.

Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to amend the mental health national service framework to reflect gender specific recommendations.

Jacqui Smith: There are no plans to amend the mental health national service framework to reflect gender specific recommendations. The forthcoming implementation guidance for the women's mental health strategy focuses on the mainstreaming of gender and women's mental health and forms part of the Department's commitment to address inequalities in the delivery of mental health services and to tackle discrimination and disadvantage.

Midwives

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list maternity units in England, indicating (a) the number of whole-time equivalent midwives needed to meet the Birthrate Plus standard, (b) the number of WTE midwife posts funded in 2002–03 and (c) the number of WTE midwives in post in 2002–03.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 May 2003
	The maternity records collected through the hospital episodes statistics (HES) system are only identified to a trust level, rather than to any specific unit within the trust. The information requested on maternity units is therefore not available.
	Birthrate Plus is a tool for assessing work force requirements in maternity units. Work done for the maternity and neonatal work force group, using Birthrate Plus data for a range of different type of maternity unit, suggests that, by 2005, the projected future supply of trained midwives at least meets future demand.
	Information on the number of midwifery posts by unit is not collected centrally. As at September 2001, the latest available data, there were 23,080 qualified midwives employed in the national health service in England. As at March 2002, there were 530 vacancies lasting three months or more for midwives.

NHS Funding

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 6 May, Official Report, columns 657–8W, on eligibility criteria, when he expects to be in a position to estimate (a) the number of people, (b) the estimated costs and (c) the number of continuing care criteria that have been needed to be changed since the publication of the second report of the Health Service Ombudsman, on NHS funding for long-term care of older and disabled people, HC399, ession 2002–03; and what steps he will take to inform honourable Members of these estimates.

Jacqui Smith: We expect to be in a position to estimate the number of people entitled to receive compensation and the estimated cost of this compensation later this year.
	All strategic health authorities (SHAs) were asked in August 2002, to agree with local councils one set of criteria for continuing care for each SHA area, in line with the guidance issued by the Department of Health in June 2001. This process was already underway at the time of the publication of the second report of the Health Service Ombudsman.

NHS Funding

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the operating surplus or deficit was of each NHS hospital trust in the last year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The information on operating surplus or deficit for each National Health Service hospital trust in 2001–03, the last year for which figures are available, has been placed in the Library.

NHS Pay

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures will be put in place to ensure that low-paid NHS workers (a) have a wage floor and (b) earn an adequate wage; and if he will make a statement on the support available.

John Hutton: The Government is committed to tackling low pay in the National Health Service. As part of NHS pay awards for 2002–03, extra resources were targeted to give proportionally greater pay increases to the lowest paid National Health Service staff. From 1 April 2002, all non-medical staff groups received an increase of either 3.6 per cent., or 400 if greater. There was also a range of targeted action focused on the lower paid. This gave a new national minimum hourly rate for staff directly employed by the NHS of £4.47 from 1 April 2002.
	The minimum national adult rate, excluding trainees, has increased since 1997 from £3.46 an hour to £4.47 an hour; an increase of 29 per cent. in cash terms for staff directly employed in the NHS.
	A proposed agreement on pay modernisation for NHS non-medical staff, Agenda for Change, was published on 3 March.2003 Staff organisations are currently consulting their members on the proposed agreement. If ratified, the agreement will, when implemented, provide a new minimum wage for directly employed staff of £10,100 (at 2002–03 pay levels), equivalent to £5.16 an hour. This will represent an 11 per cent, increase in basic starting salary for the lowest paid. Subject to the outcome of consultation, the proposed agreement will be implemented in a number of 'early implementer' sites from June 2003 and nationally from October 2004. Under the proposed agreement, rates of pay will in addition be uplifted by 10 per cent, over the next three years, compared with the 2002–03 level set out above.
	The information in this answer relates to England, although the Agenda for Change proposals apply across the United Kingdom. Pay for NHS staff in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the devolved administrations. Whilst the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers In the Northern Ireland Office.

NHS Trusts

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary of the Chief Executive of each NHS trust in England is.

John Hutton: Information relating to the salaries of National Health Service trust chief executives is not collected centrally. Information on chief executives' salaries is included in the accounts for individual trusts, which are published locally.

NHS Trusts

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances the chair of a strategic health authority can be required to resign his or her post.

John Hutton: There are no statutory procedures for requiring that a strategic health authority chair resigns his or her post. Resignation is a matter for the individual chair involved. Regulation 8(4) of the Health Authorities (Membership and Procedure) Regulation 1996 provides that:
	"If the Secretary of State is of the opinion that:
	(a) it is not in the interests of the health service in the area for which an Authority acts: or
	(b) it is not conducive to the good management of an authority, for a person whom he has appointed as the chairman or a member of that Authority to continue to hold that office, the Secretary of State may forthwith terminate his tenure of office."
	The Secretary of State has delegated his authority to terminate an appointment to the National Health Service Appointments Commission.

Nightingale Wards

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the modernisation programme announced on Wednesday 8 May 2002 has been spent; and how many Nightingale wards remain open.

John Hutton: It was announced, in August 2001, that £120 million would be made available over a three-year period as part of a modernisation programme to eliminate Nightingale wards for older people. All funding has been allocated and refurbishment work is underway. When building works are complete, 319 Nightingale wards will have been eliminated, of which 236 are Nightingale wards for older people.
	Data on how many Nightingale wards in total remain open is not collected centrally.

Nurse Practitioners

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses are training to become nurse practitioners.

John Hutton: This information is not collected centrally.

Oldchurch Hospital

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures should be followed if an anaesthetist disagrees with a consultant surgeon regarding the treatment of a patient under their care.

John Hutton: Relationships between surgeons and anaesthetists are governed by guidance set out by the General Medical Council, on professional working between all clinicians. The guidance 'Good Medical Practice', Third Edition May 2001, outlines the procedures clinicians should follow if they feel another health care professional may be putting a patient at risk.

Oldchurch Hospital

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to investigate complaints made about procedures at Oldchurch hospital, following the resignation of a locum consultant surgeon at Oldchurch hospital in Romford; what discussions he has held with (a) the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trusts and (b) the Clinical Director at Oldchurch hospital on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: I have no plans to investigate these complaints. This is an internal matter for Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust.

Oldchurch Hospital

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure the speedy appointment of a new locum consultant surgeon at Oldchurch hospital in Romford.

John Hutton: This is an internal matter for Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust.

Primary Care Trusts

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long he expects it will take for each primary care trust to reach its target funding levels.

John Hutton: We consider our allocations policy for each round of allocations in the light of all the circumstances at that time.
	We are committed to bringing primary care trusts to their target allocations as soon as is practicable, consistent with all primary care trusts having sufficient extra funding to enable them to deliver on national and local priorities.

Protective Equipment

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 April, Official Report, column 621W, on protective equipment, if he will make a statement on the mid-March review and assessment of readiness by NHS trusts for responding to incidents.

John Hutton: The Department of Health has recently completed its comprehensive review of National Health Service major incident plans. This review took into consideration conclusions reached by the National Audit Office in Facing the Challenge: NHS Emergency Planning in England. Preliminary analysis from this review has shown that all NHS bodies have addressed the concerns that caused them to assess themselves as not "well prepared"; they now all assess themselves as at least "prepared".
	The outcome from the review will be used to develop a programme of work to further enhance NHS preparedness.
	All NHS trusts with accident and emergency (A and E) departments and ambulance services are "prepared" to respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents. A programme to replace faulty personal protective equipment is well underway and all appropriate trusts have received at least 50 per cent. of their modified suits. A further batch of suits have been purchased which will provide each A and E department with additional supplies.

Radiographers

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many radiographers there are in the NHS; how many posts are vacant; and how many radiographers worked in the NHS in 1997;
	(2)  what plans he has to increase the number of radiographers in the NHS.

John Hutton: The Government is committed to increasing the number of radiographers employed in the National Health Service. The NHS Plan states that, by 2004, there will be an extra 6,500 more therapists and other health professionals employed in the NHS over 1999 levels, including radiographers. Between September 1997 and 2001, the number of diagnostic radiographers increased by 800, or 8 per cent., from 10,360 to 11,160 and therapeutic radiographers increased by 130, or 9 per cent., from 1,410 to 1,540.
	To further increase the future radiography workforce, we are substantially increasing the numbers of training places. Since 1997, there has been an overall 63 per cent. increase in radiography training commissions from 582 to 948 and these will be increased further as part of the NHS Plan commitment for an extra 4,450 more training places for therapists and other key professional staff by 2004.
	The Department of Health collects information on the number of vacancies that have lasted for three months or more in the NHS workforce vacancies survey. In March 2002, there were 530 diagnostic radiographer posts and 130 therapeutic radiographer posts vacant for three months or more.

Working Time Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS in (a) financial terms and (b) staffing of including on call time within the 48 hour week provided for by the European Working Time Directive.

John Hutton: Implementation of the European Working Time Directive requires the hours of work of doctors training to reduce to 58 hours from August 2004 and to 48 hours by 2009, or 2012 with an extension. While the number of doctors on an individual rota on call will generally have to increase to implement the 2004 requirements, the intention of the Department's guidance—HSC 2003/001: Protecting Staff, Delivering Services—Implementing the European Working Time Directive for Doctors in Training—is that trusts should find ways to reduce the number of resident rotas. Thus the total staffing requirement and costs do not increase substantially as a result of the Working Time Directive.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Traffic Wardens

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 21 March 2003, Official Report, column 966W, on traffic wardens, what the total pay costs for traffic wardens were in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: Detailed information on total pay costs is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	It is however estimated that there are currently about 2,000 traffic wardens employed by police authorities in England and Wales, over a third of this total being employed in the Metropolitan Police District. While average salary costs nationwide are not available, I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the cost of one Metropolitan Police traffic warden is at present approximately £18,500 a year. Since costs in the Metropolitan Police District are likely to be substantially higher than elsewhere, the total national pay cost should not exceed £37 million.

Anti-social Behaviour Bill

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research informed the proposed extension of the maximum duration of supervision orders under paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 2 to the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill.

Paul Goggins: This proposal would increase the maximum number of days a young offender may be required to comply with specific directions under a supervision order from 90 to 180 days. They typically cover attendance at offending behaviour programmes, educational or training activities, reparation and specialised programmes such as alcohol and drug awareness.
	Together with an extension of curfew order powers this would enable us to strengthen the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme. This programme is designed for persistent and serious young offenders, and provides a substantial community alternative to custody.

Asylum Seekers

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure that information on UK legislation on (a) sexual offences and (b) the age of consent is available to (i) refugees and (ii) asylum seekers in the UK.

Beverley Hughes: Asylum seekers and refugees do not receive specific information from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) regarding sexual offences or the age of consent. However, asylum seekers attending the IND induction centre at Dover receive briefing on their rights and responsibilities. This material has been developed in collaboration with the voluntary sector and police.

Cannabis

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the prevalence of use of cannabis by 11 to 18-year-olds, and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received from residents of the London borough of Lambeth on the Metropolitan Police Service's response to persons found to be in possession of cannabis; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the introduction of legislation to re-classify cannabis; and what recent representations he has received on his proposal to re-classify cannabis;
	(4)  what recent representations he has received from (a) Drugscope and (b) Lifeline (Manchester) about drugs misuse issues with particular reference to cannabis; and what assessment he has made about the efficacy of advice provided on drugs misuse in reducing overall drugs misuse among young people and children;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of medical evidence on (a) the detrimental effects of fat-soluble tetrahydrocannabinol on the functioning of cell membranes in the human body, (b) the increased incidence of (i) depression, (ii) psychosis and (iii) schizophrenia and (c) reduced driving ability, in persons using cannabis;
	(6)  what research he has evaluated on cannabis being a gateway drug among 11 to 18-year-olds; and what assessment he has made of research on whether regular users of cannabis are more likely to proceed to use Class A drugs;
	(7)  what assessment he has made of the health implications of the increasing proportion of tetrahydrocannabinol in commonly used cannabis; whether this change will influence his policy on drug misuse; and if he will make a statement;
	(8)  what research he has evaluated on the effects on (a) law enforcement and (b) public health of the relaxation of drugs policy by the authorities in the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (AMD) that cannabis should be reclassified to Class C under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has accepted, was based on a detailed study of the available scientific literature covering all relevant aspects of the issue, including epidemiology and risks to health. Although products with cannabis remains illegal and controlled—it is a harmful drug. Higher concentrations of the main psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), became available during the late 1980s and 1990s, there has generally been a very wide variation in the THC levels found in cannabis, and this continues to be the case and the Advisory Council Misuse of Drugs took this into consideration in the advice they gave.
	The Government give close attention to developments on drugs laws and polices in other countries within the framework of the United Nations Conventions of 1961 and 1971. Government representatives regularly attend a variety of international fora at which information and ideas are exchanged with other Governments. The Government note the policy being followed in the Netherlands in respect of cannabis. So far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the proposal to reclassify cannabis to Class C provides the best prospect for putting out a credible message to young people about drugs, based on a scientific assessment of the relative harm they cause, and for putting a clear focus on Class A drugs, the ones which do the most harm to individuals and to society.
	The '2001–02 British Crime Survey'—the latest year for which results are available—estimated that 25 per cent. of 16 to 18-year-olds had taken cannabis in the last year. The 'Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2001' survey estimated that 13 per cent. of school children aged between 11 and 15 had taken cannabis in the last year. Copies of both surveys can be found in the Library.
	There have been no recent UK studies that have looked specifically at cannabis as a gateway drug among teenagers. However, some relevant analysis has been undertaken which examined wider progression from one group of drugs to another. It used the 1998–99 Youth Lifestyles Survey, which questioned 3,700 young people aged between 12 and 30 years. The analysis examined progression from a group of drugs, including cannabis, LSD, amphetamines, amylnitrate and magic mushrooms, to a group of highly dangerous drugs, including heroin, crack and methadone. When social and psychological factors, such as disturbed family background and disadvantaged location, were taken into account, little evidence was found for a gateway effect caused by use of the first group of drugs.
	This analysis can be found in Home Office Research Study 253 entitled: 'The Road to Ruin? Sequences of Initiation into Drug Use and Offending by Young People in Britain'. Copies of this report can be found in the Library.
	The report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the classification of cannabis provides a detailed assessment of the medical evidence with regard to the possible effects of cannabis use on health. A summary of the findings is contained in Chapter 4. A copy of the Council's report, 'The classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971', with bibliographical references, is in the Library.
	An Order in Council is needed to change the classification of any controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Such an Order is subject to the draft affirmative resolution procedure. My right hon. Friend intends that a draft Order to amend the Act to reclassify cannabis will be debated in Parliament in good time for changes to the penalties for trafficking Class C drugs proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill being approved and taking effect.
	My right hon. Friend and I regularly receive written representations from right hon. and hon. Members and members of the public about the Government's proposal to reclassify cannabis.
	We have not received any recent representations from Drugscope or Lifeline (Manchester) about drugs misuse issues with particular reference to cannabis.
	We have received a few letters from residents of Lambeth in the past year concerning cannabis issues generally. Issues have also been raised in discussion by constituency MPs for the area and its surroundings.

Charities

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what representations he has received about (a) the proposed Charities Bill and (b) charitable incorporated organisations;
	(2)  when legislation will be introduced to enable the formation of charitable incorporated organisations.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 19 May 2003
	The Charitable Incorporated Organisation would be brought into existence by a Charities Bill. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently promised to publish a draft Bill as soon as possible.
	The Strategy Unit's recent review of charity law and regulation (Private Action, Public Benefit), was put out for public consultation late last year. Officials have nearly completed an analysis of the approximately 1,100 written responses to the consultation. Initial analysis of the responses indicates clear support for a Charities Act and for the Charitable Incorporated Organisation legal form. The Government intends in the summer to publish a summary of the views expressed by respondents to the consultation together with an indication of how the Government intends to take the recommendations forward.

Classified Documents

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documents are held by his Department that are subject to security classification, broken down by category of classification.

David Blunkett: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. My Department follows the Cabinet Office guidance on document marking and control.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to his letter to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 7 April 2003 about the letter from the right hon. Member of 27 September 2002, with regard to Mr.Winston Frank Tracey, why he has not yet replied to that letter.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 May 2003.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the cost of the Criminal Records Bureau referred to by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State during the adjournment debate of 23rd July 2002, Official Report, column 199WH, fall during the period of the cost recovery plan; and whether the estimate of the costs has changed.

Paul Goggins: £406 million (44 per cent) of the £930 million Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) costs fall during the period of the cost recovery plan.
	Until the contract negotiations with the principal business partner have been completed and a revised business plan produced it is not possible to state whether this estimate of costs has changed.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Criminal Record Bureau's revised forecasts of demand for (a) standard and (b) enhanced disclosures are for (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Paul Goggins: Demand for Higher-level Disclosures in 2003–04 are forecast to be 2.6 million, 2.21 million Enhanced Disclosures and 390 thousand Standard Disclosures. Demand for Higher-level Disclosures in 2004–05 are forecast to be 3 million, 2.55 million Enhanced and 450 thousand Standards.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it cost to implement the paper-based application route for the Criminal Records Bureau.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) paid £2,106,667 to Capita in respect of a Contract Change Note to implement the paper-based application route. It is estimated that a further £7.1 million has been spent by the CRB in respect of its additional operating costs.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each month since the Criminal Records Bureau started operations the (a) number of applications received, (b) the number of (i) standard and (ii) enhanced disclosures issued, (c) the number of applications outstanding, (d) the number of applications outstanding for more than (A) three weeks, (B) six weeks and (C) nine weeks, (e) the number of applications returned to registered bodies and (f) the number of total disclosures issued.

Paul Goggins: The following table details a breakdown of the total number of disclosures received and cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in three weeks, six weeks and nine weeks since March 2002, up to the end of April 2003. Not all the information sought by the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam is available in the format requested. There are no IT procedures at present to differentiate between Standard and Enhanced Disclosures that are outstanding and figures representing the breakdown of those applications that were outstanding for longer than three, six and nine weeks are not available any earlier than November 2002.
	
		Disclosures received and issued by month
		
			   (e) (b)(i) (b)(ii) (f) 
			  Net receipts Returned to organisation Standard disclosures issued Enhanced disclosures issued Total disclosures issued 
		
		
			  
			  
			 March 2002 2,306 459 22 20 42 
			 April 2002 34,301 5,412 409 2,389 2,798 
			 May 2002 82,821 5,044 2,070 17,376 19,446 
			 June 2002 88,442 1,762 4,315 30,585 34,900 
			 July 2002 134,206 25,187 12,828 76,258 89,086 
			 August 2002 129,049 14,981 14,116 96,295 110,411 
			 September 2002 185,153 19,715 16,613 118,505 135,118 
			 October 2002 208,784 18,556 22,620 159,226 181,846 
			 November 2002 171,893 15,570 23,257 159,199 182,456 
			 December 2002 138,454 13,330 22,347 148,707 171,054 
			 January 2003 144,538 16,330 18,251 152,442 170,693 
			 February 2003 161,286 16,938 20,816 142,330 163,146 
			 March 2003 174,832 20,667 21,814 158,915 180,729 
			 April 2003 151,676 18,602 19,700 140,259 159,959 
			 Total 1,807,741 192,553 199,178 1,402,506 1,601,684 
		
	
	
		
			  (d)(A) (d)(B) (d)(C) (c) 
			  0–3 weeks 3–6 weeks Over 6 weeks Total 
		
		
			 November 2002 77,147 47,152 139,232 263,531 
			 December 2002 59,960 39,009 152,365 251,334 
			 January 2003 78,782 13,796 133,861 226,439 
			 February 2003 83,574 25,409 91,789 200,772 
			 March 2003 88,326 20,128 69,822 178,276 
			 April 2003 76,299 20,807 21,147 118,253 
		
	
	In order to process a Disclosure application the CRB requires a correctly completed application form. Where forms are incomplete or incorrectly completed, they are returned to the applicant or to the Registered Body.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Criminal Records Bureau has commissioned a review of the code provided by Capita.

Paul Goggins: To date, the Criminal Records Bureau has not commissioned a review of the code provided by Capita and there are no current plans to do so in the future.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 8 April 2003, Official Report, column 208W, on departmental pay, if he will place a copy of his action plan in the Library.

David Blunkett: The Home Office has submitted its Equal Pay action plan to Cabinet Office for consideration and will place a copy of that plan in the Library once any arising discussions with Cabinet Office have been concluded.

Devolution

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with officials from the devolved administrations in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales concerning their support for umbrella registered bodies.

Paul Goggins: Home Office officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales about a variety of matters relating to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Disclosure Scotland, including support for umbrella registered bodies to help facilitate access to the Disclosure service by voluntary organisations. We are exploring with the CRB's Voluntary and Community Sector Working Group cost-effective ways of improving access to the Disclosure service by voluntary organisations in England.

Drug Addicts (Rehabilitation)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of rehabilitation treatment available for (a) heroin addicts and (b) crack cocaine addicts after custodial sentences have been served for drug related crimes.

Bob Ainsworth: The Government's Updated Drug Strategy recognises the need for effective Throughcare and Aftercare for substance misusers leaving treatment or prison. A comprehensive programme of interventions is being implemented to address the treatment needs of drug misusing offenders at every point of contact in the criminal justice system.
	The Prison Service programme Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare services (CARATs) offers comprehensive assessments of prisoners with drug problems todetermine individual needs during custody and on release.
	Aftercare and rehabilitation have become part of the package of care for substance misusers leaving treatment or prison.Those recovering from addiction or other drug related problems will be given the support and help to meet their needs.
	Regular assessments are made of the availability and quality of drug treatment at a local level, including treatment for ex-prisoners, by the National Treatment Agency (NTA). It has been given the authority to set standards and monitor both the commissioning and delivery of drug treatment, so that by 2008 we will have doubled the capacity and be in a position to treat 200,000 problematic drug users each year.

E-Government Projects

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by project the consultancies his Department and its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-government projects since 1 January 2001.

David Blunkett: holding answer 16 May 2003
	The information required is not readily available and to provide a full answer would incur disproportionate cost.

Energy Efficiency

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit.

David Blunkett: The Home Office's target for efficiency savings is to realise by the end of 2005–06 improvements in value for money which are equivalent to at least 3 per cent. of its expenditure in 2002–03, excluding grants to the police. As explained in the published technical notes to the Home Office targets which are available on the Home Office website. Efficiency gains are one particular type of value for money improvement and no separate target has been set for them. The value for money improvements which must be achieved by 2005–06 to meet the target is £210 million.

Illegal Immigrants

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those currently charged with criminal offences in the United Kingdom are in the country illegally.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 14 January 2003
	Information on the number of persons charged is not collected centrally within England and Wales.
	Information held centrally on the number of persons arrested for notifiable offences within England and Wales does not identify either the nationality or the immigration status of the arrestee.
	Where a person subject to immigration control who has been arrested in connection with a minor offence is found to be present in the United Kingdom without leave and can be removed immediately, our normal policy would be to remove them rather than to institute criminal proceedings.
	Data for persons charged with criminal offences within Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year;
	(2)  how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems.

David Blunkett: 16,757 working days were lost in the Home Office due to sickness absence caused by mental health problems in the calendar year 2002.
	Also in that year, 445 Home Office staff took sick leave due to mental health problems under the definitions supplied by the Cabinet Office. The figure represents 2.69 per cent of those staff who were absent through illness in 2002.
	A wide-ranging review of sickness absence and ill health retirement is due to report shortly.
	These figures exclude the Prison Service and the United Kingdom Passport Service).

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the assessment by his Department's officials of reports of investigations following the deaths of Darren Franey and Scott Veach to be completed.

Bob Ainsworth: Consideration of the investigation report in regards to the effective policing of Mersey Tunnels is currently in progress.

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has established terms of reference for work to be taken forward by Home Office and Department of Transport officials regarding Mersey Tunnels policing.

Bob Ainsworth: Home Office officials are working closely with colleagues from the Department of Transport with the objective of ensuring that the best arrangements for the safe and effective policing of the Mersey Tunnels are in place.

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the views of (a) Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, (b) the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and (c) the Chief Executive of Merseytravel regarding the policing of the Mersey tunnels.

Bob Ainsworth: I have already received the views of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary and the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police. The Chief Executive of Merseytravel has indicated that he will not respond until the conclusion of the Judicial Review proceedings that Merseytravel have commenced.

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Mersey Tunnels Police and the Police Complaints Authority, with special reference to section 78 of the Police Act 1996.

Bob Ainsworth: There is no relationship between Mersey Tunnels Police and the Police Complaints Authority by virtue of Section 78 of the Police Act 1996 nor any similar agreement outside of that legislation.

Special Constables

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables have been in place in each English police force in each year since 1996.

Bob Ainsworth: The data requested, as at March 1996–2002, are set out in the table.
	Since March 1998, information on the strength of special constabularies for each police force has been published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins on police strength in England and Wales, copies of which are available in the Library.
	
		Special constable strength in England by police force area
		
			  March 
			 Police force 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 688 759 621 547 459 400 364 
			 Bedfordshire 189 182 186 154 151 115 118 
			 Cambridgeshire 275 303 320 310 274 218 207 
			 Cheshire 274 475 459 407 350 290 191 
			 Cleveland 195 160 164 126 128 93 85 
			 Cumbria 201 189 198 204 176 156 102 
			 Derbyshire 413 428 380 317 282 275 260 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,102 1,148 1,024 918 870 796 689 
			 Dorset 254 289 315 305 298 267 253 
			 Durham 187 184 144 159 157 146 134 
			 Essex 608 634 638 544 483 445 381 
			 Gloucestershire 330 297 276 233 206 183 154 
			 Greater Manchester 746 685 598 523 457 367 338 
			 Hampshire 564 621 698 760 615 454 444 
			 Hertfordshire 315 297 306 238 216 198 206 
			 Humberside 391 340 324 269 246 212 207 
			 Kent 555 589 592 526 436 392 327 
			 Lancashire 553 483 489 449 382 360 363 
			 Leicestershire 360 415 406 316 247 162 143 
			 Lincolnshire 299 271 260 216 195 166 155 
			 City of London 77 86 76 64 56 43 36 
			 Merseyside 333 401 419 458 476 541 468 
			 Metropolitan police 1,850 1,714 1,282 1138 758 774 680 
			 Norfolk 319 402 337 336 285 259 244 
			 Northamptonshire 289 316 288 230 199 188 177 
			 Northumbria 471 533 400 342 332 300 256 
			 North Yorkshire 360 362 358 276 217 182 185 
			 Nottinghamshire 537 620 558 461 411 335 341 
			 South Yorkshire 381 308 281 246 205 188 206 
			 Staffordshire 702 685 595 468 482 402 384 
			 Suffolk 407 379 397 420 391 349 308 
			 Surrey 260 297 235 224 175 149 187 
			 Sussex 511 472 442 393 352 306 306 
			 Thames Valley 744 656 609 569 472 418 356 
			 Warwickshire 340 381 345 261 260 221 209 
			 West Mercia 613 582 512 515 476 399 339 
			 West Midlands 897 945 889 731 680 617 598 
			 West Yorkshire 709 690 589 559 484 415 349 
			 Wiltshire 233 154 149 184 173 152 147 
			 Total all forces in England 18,532 18,732 17,159 15,396 13,512 11,933 10,897 
		
	
	Source:
	Figures provided by Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

GHB

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will review the legislation regarding the sale, production and possession of gamma hydroxy butyrate; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Both Houses have recently approved an Order which will bring 4-Hydroxy-n-butyric acid, otherwise known as gammahyrdoxy-butrate or GHB, within the controls of Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a Class C drug. The provisions will come into effect on 1 July. From that date it will be a criminal offence to possess GHB unlawfully, and this will attract a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment.

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at HMP Altcourse completed a cognitive behavioural therapy programme in 2001–02; and how the benefits of the programme were evaluated.

Paul Goggins: No cognitive behavioural therapy programmes were run at Her Majesty's Prison Altcourse in 2001–02. The first cognitive behavioural therapy programmes at Her Majesty's Prison Altcourse started in 2002–03.

Replica Firearms

Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce the (a) sale and (b) purchase of replica guns in the UK.

Bob Ainsworth: It is difficult to devise a suitable working definition for the purposes of restricting the sale or purchase of replica firearms. We are, however, introducing in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill a new offence of having an imitation firearm in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Sponsorship

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship in the last financial year; who the sponsor was in each case; what the nature of each project was; what time-period was covered by each project; what the total cost of each project was; how much money was involved in each sponsorship deal; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: Due to disproportionate costs we have been unable to obtain details of all sponsorship for the Home Office for 2002–03; however I am able to produce details of the major sponsorship projects undertaken. Vehicle Crime Reduction Campaign
	During the financial year 2002–03 Commercial partners provided sponsorship support to the Home Office Vehicle Crime Reduction (VCR) Communications Campaign by extending the key messages of the campaign to their own customers and staff. The activity was ongoing throughout the period. The total sponsorship was £1,752,564. Detailed information on sponsors is in the table:
	
		
			 Name of sponsor Sponsorshipvalue (£) Details 
		
		
			 Lycos 37,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages, logo and promotions on internet 
			 Tracker 703,634 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on website, advertising, commercial literature and exhibition space 
			 Stoplock/Saxon 64,500 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on website, point of sale material and on tamper-proof car tax disks 
			 Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders/Tracker/Stoplock 17,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo within exhibition visitor guide 
			 RAC 41,500 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages on prerecorded advice line, commercial literature and website 
			 RAC Auto Windscreens 425,430 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on point of sale material in retail outlets and at trade exhibitions. Promotion of VCR campaign messages in media activity 
			 Retaina Group 173,500 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on website, point of sale material, commercial literature and on security marking products 
			 More Than 176,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on advertising, customer correspondence and promotion of VCR campaign messages in media activity 
			 NCP 20,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on advertising, promotional items and signage within carparks 
			 Auto Express 35,000 Provision of editorial space for VCR campaign messages 
			 Vauxhall 6,000 Provision of editorial space for VCR campaign messages in customer magazine 
			 Cornhill 48,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on customer correspondence 
			 Piaggio 5,000 Provision of space for VCR campaign messages and logo on after-sales customer promotional material 
		
	
	The budgeted cost of the project was £5 million.
	Student Crime Reduction Campaign
	This was an initiative to raise awareness among students of their increased risk of being a victim of crime and to offer appropriate crime reduction advice. Activity took place in January 2003.
	Sponsor: National Union of Students (NUS)
	Provision of database of e-mail address of members of the NUS.
	Sponsorship value £15,000
	The total Home Office costs were £20,000 so including the value of sponsorship the overall cost was £35,000.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Footpaths

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department gives local authorities in relation to the adoption of footpaths.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department has recently issued a Guidance Note to local authorities on the adoption of private streets and footpaths. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Local Government Finance

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much (a) revenue support grant and (b) formula spending share/standard spending assessment was given to local authorities (i) in total and (ii) in each English region in (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03 and (C) 2003–04 (estimated).

Nick Raynsford: Information on Formula Grant and Standard Spending Assessments/Formula Spending Shares is given in the following table. The total of Revenue Support Grant depends in part on early estimates of the National Non-Domestic Rate yield, which is particularly variable. The total of Formula Grant has been quoted instead, the total general funding provided to local authorities and the basis of the "floor and ceiling" limitations on grant changes. Formula Grant consists of Revenue Support Grant, National Non-Domestic Rates and Police Grant.
	
		
			  Formula Grant SSA/FSS 
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 South-west 2,973 2,979 3,276 4,279 4,361 5,160 
			 South-east 4,822 4,844 5,280 7,096 7,235 8,456 
			 London 7,035 7,126 7,629 9,114 9,326 10,552 
			 Eastern 3,426 3,441 3,762 4,869 4,963 5,824 
			 East Midlands 2,773 2,785 3,082 3,747 3,814 4,523 
			 West Midlands 3,930 3,966 4,367 5,176 5,278 6,222 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 3,801 3,830 4,187 4,932 5,019 5,832 
			 North-east 2,085 2,107 2,278 2,641 2,689 3,088 
			 North-west 5,378 5,438 5,954 6,939 7,077 8,251 
			 Total 36,223 36,515 39,815 48,792 49,762 57,908 
		
	
	Note:
	These data are not adjusted for changes in local authority functions.

Local Government Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage increase was in (a) rate support and (b) NNDR to local authorities in 2003; what percentage of such increases will be taken up by (i) increases in national insurance, (ii) increased pension contributions, (iii) under funded public sector pay settlements and (iv) other duties and powers imposed but not funded by Government.

Nick Raynsford: Under the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2003–04, Revenue Support Grant (RSG) increased by 15.3 per cent. and the National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) Distributable Amount decreased by 6.2 per cent. NNDR and RSG (along with Principal Formula Police Grant) are part of general grant which increased by 5.9 per cent. or £2.249 billion overall on a like for like basis.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimate the change in national insurance contributions will increase local authorities' pay costs on average by some £250 million. It is estimated that the 0.4 per cent. increase in employers contributions to the Teacher's Pension Scheme which local authorities have had to fund from within the 5.9 per cent. increase in general grant will add some £54 million to local authorities' revenue expenditure. These pressures add 0.73 per cent. to the 2002–03 adjusted baseline of £41.445 billion. If both are excluded, the increase in general grant would be 5.17 per cent. or £2.145 billion.
	The Spending Review 2000 took into account the results of the 1998 Local Government Pension Scheme valuation exercise and the forthcoming 2004 valuation exercise will inform SR2004. Pay settlements for local government staff are a matter for local authorities and the pay review bodies. It is expected that awards which take into account the overall increase in funding available to councils while reflecting the need to recruit and retain staff.
	The Government funds all new burdens placed on local authorities under the principle of New Burdens which requires Government to reimburse local authorities for any additional costs they face as a result of the imposition of new powers or duties. For example, the Spending Review made clear for the first time the burdens funded in the environmental, protective and cultural services and provided £82 million in year one for burdens such as the changes affecting the disposal of fridges. Following the Spending Review, we transferred funds into the settlement for burdens which could not be agreed at the time, such as an additional £50 million a year over the next three years for the implications for age-equalisation on the mandatory concessionary fares scheme.

Media

John Cummings: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the potential value of (a) film, (b) new media and (c) broadcasting to the UK economy; and if he will break down the results of each assessment by region.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	DCMS gathers information on the economic value of industry sectors from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) which is run by the Office for National Statistics. Data from the ABI is presented for Standard Industrial Classifications (SICs) and is not available at the level of detail required to answer the question precisely. We have therefore supplied information on the most relevant available industry classifications.
	In 2001 the gross value added of 'Motion picture and video activities' was £2,101 million and the gross value added of 'Radio and television activities' was £4,179 million. This represents 0.3 per cent. and 0.7 per cent. respectively of gross value added across the whole UK economy. There is no classification for 'New media'.
	Regional figures are only available for the approximate gross value added of the total of all industries defined by the SIC scheme as falling under 'recreational, cultural and sporting activities'.

Planning Inquiries

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list public planning inquiries in each of the last five years which took evidence for more than five weeks; how soon after the inquiry the inspector made his report to the Secretary of State in each case; and how long it took the Secretary of State to reach a decision in each case.

Tony McNulty: The following table lists called-in planning applications and recovered appeals inquiries which began and sat for 20 or more days (equivalent to five weeks as inquiries do not normally sit on Mondays) in the period from 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2003 (it therefore does not include Heathrow Terminal 5). The cases, with the exception of Thameslink 2000, do not include Transport and Works Act cases (some of which include linked planning cases) as these are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh Central.
	The rules for planning appeals, which came into effect in August 2000, introduced the requirement for the appellant and local planning authority to prepare jointly a statement of common ground. The purpose of this document is to set out the agreed factual information about the proposal in advance of the inquiry, and so reduce the time taken on this when the inquiry opens. Consideration is also being given to increasing the use of pre-inquiry meetings (where the appointed Inspector can set out the timetable and running order in advance of the inquiry) for suitable cases.
	
		
			 Site Inquiry duration (days) Start of inquiry Close of inquiry Report sent to Secretary of State Date of decision 
		
		
			 Shellhaven, Thurrock(16) — 25 February 2003 — — — 
			 Withdean Stadium, Brighton(16) — 18 February 2003 — — — 
			 MSAs M3,M4,M25(16) — 5 November 2002 — — — 
			 MS As Ml, Leeds, Harrogate, Selby(16) — 8 October 2002 — — — 
			 Alconbury Airfield, Huntingdon 43 22 May 2001 16 October 2001 28 March 2003 — 
			 Castlegate, York 30 15 January 2002 9 August 2002 6 February 2003 — 
			 Finningley Airport, Doncaster 58 25 September 2001 13 March 2002 19 September 2002 3 April 2003 
			 Cable Street, Liverpool(17) 40 6 November 2001 22 February 2002 2 July 2002 5 September 2002 
			 MTL site Liveipool(17) 40 6 November 2001 22 February 2002 11 April 2002 30 May 2002 
			 Adj M5, Tewkesbury 20 6 November 2001 11 December 2001 15 May 2002 16 August 2002 
			 Heron Tower, Bishopsgate, London EC3 21 23 October 2001 5 December 2001 30 April 2002 22 July 2002 
			 Thingwall Hall, Knowsley 22 22 August 2000 29 January 2001 6 March 2002 9 September 2002 
			 Fulcrum and former Castle Donington Power Station 28 13 February 2001 6 April 2001 1 October 2001 28 February 2002 
			 MSAs M42, Solihull(18) 38 30 November 1999 16 June 2000 17 October 2000 6 March 2001 
			 Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage 21 11 April 2000 22 May 2000 20 September 2000 23 November 2000 
			 Flowers Brewery site, Cheltenham 40 28 September 1999 15 December 1999 9 July 2000 12 September 2000 
			 Xanadu development, Wigan 26 1 September 1999 9 March 2000 16 August 2000 20 August 2001 
			 Waterside Park, Tameside 24 6 July 1999 17 December 1999 16 May 2000 30 November 2000 
			 Lamberhurst Farm, Faversham 21 3 February 1999 10 March 1999 3 August 1999 30 August 2001 
			 Otterburn Training Camp 26 23 March 1999 27 May 1999 19 October 1999 4 October 2001 
			 Aldbough, East Riding 25 16 February 1999 28 April 1999 5 October 1999 17 February 2002 
			 TWA Thameslink 2000(19) 92 27 June 2000 16 May 2001 10 January 2002 29 January 2003 
		
	
	(16) Inquiries that have started and are estimated to sit for more than 20 days.
	(17) These two inquiries ran concurrently although they related to different sites in Liverpool and the Inspector's report and the decision were issued separately.
	(18) The inquiry covered three recovered appeals concerning MSAs on the M42—a decision on 6 March 2001 refused two and was minded to grant the remaining one. A final decision has yet to be made.
	(19) Determined by the First Secretary of State for propriety reasons. Interim decision issued.

Regional Assemblies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding each local authority contributes in the financial year 2002–03 to funding regional assemblies; what the expenditure of each regional assembly (a) was in that period and (b) is expected to be in 2003–04; how many staff each assembly employs; and what estimate he has made of the effect upon council tax levels of funding regional assemblies.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not collected centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Regional Assemblies are answerable to central Government for the use of their allocation of the Chambers Fund (in both 2002–3 and 2003–4 £5 million per annum across the eight regions); Regional Planning Body money (in 2003–4 £6 million per annum); and Planning Delivery Grant (in 2003–4 £3 million per annum). Their financial arrangements with local authorities are a matter between them and the relevant local authorities.

Regional Assemblies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timescale is for (a) English regional chambers to set up regional planning bodies as provided for in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill and (b) drawing up regional spatial strategies; how this timetable will be linked with that for drawing up regional transport strategies; what estimate he has made of (i) the initial and (ii) the annual running costs of regional planning bodies; and from which budgets these costs will be met.

Tony McNulty: All the English regional chambers are now regional planning bodies (RPBs). Providing they operate in a sufficiently inclusive way they will be recognised as RPBs once the relevant provisions of the new Bill commence. On commencement my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will prescribe which existing regional planning guidance should become regional spatial strategies (RSSs). Thereafter, the timetable for revisions to particular RSSs, including their transport elements, will be agreed between the RPB and the Government Office. RPB running costs are a matter for them. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is contributing over £9 million, including planning delivery grant, this year towards RPB running costs. RPBs can also receive moneys or in kind assistance from local authority and other member organisations.

Regional Government (North West)

Eric Martlew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister further to the answer of 14 May, Official Report, column 301, on Regional Government (North West), if he will make a statement on how the question to be put in the second vote will be decided on; and whether the result of the second vote will be binding on the Government.

Nick Raynsford: Section 3(3) of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act sets out the question to be asked in any local government referendum. The options for unitary local government which are put to voters in two-tier areas in such a referendum cannot be determined until the Boundary Committee has made its recommendations. So the order for a local government referendum to be held will set out the text of the options which are to appear on the ballot paper. Sections 3(7) and 3(8) of the Act provide, respectively, that the Electoral Commission must be consulted on this wording and that their comments are laid before each House when the order is laid. The order will also be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.Local government reorganisation would only go ahead if an elected assembly is to be established. The local government referendums will be advisory, though the Govemment would intend to be guided by the results.

Starter Homes Initiative

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) teachers, (b) police officers, (c) nurses and health workers and (d) others have been assisted through the Starter Homes initiative (i) in each local authority area and (ii) by each Government office of the region since 31 January.

Tony McNulty: As at 31 March 2003, 2,678 key workers had purchased homes with Starter Home Initiative assistance that they would otherwise have been unable to afford. This compares with 2,011 at the end of January. A table setting out, by region and local authority area in which the key workers are employed, the number of key workers in each group that have benefited so far is available in the Library of the House.

Urban Renewal (West Yorkshire)

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received over the implementation of the urban renewal development in the West Yorkshire Region; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not received any representations regarding urban renewal development in West Yorkshire.
	The Regional Development Agency (RDA)—Yorkshire Forward—is currently in discussion with partners in West Yorkshire on the level of RDA support for priorities in the West Yorkshire sub-regional action plan. One of the key priorities is to support urban renaissance for economic growth. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is satisfied the RDA and its partners recognise the important role urban renewal plays in economic development. This is reflected in the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Economic Strategy.

PRIME MINISTER

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Prime Minister how many contracts have been awarded by his Government to KPMG since 1997.

Tony Blair: Contracts for Government work are awarded within a policy and legal framework which requires the process to be fair and objective and deliver value for money. However, responsibility for any contract rests with the individual Department concerned. Information for the Government as a whole is therefore not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Nadhmi Auchi

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister when he was first informed of the international arrest warrant against Mr. Nadhmi Auchi.

Tony Blair: This was dealt with by the Home Office.

Mr. Nadhmi Auchi

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason Lord Sainsbury presented Mr. Nadhmi Auchi with a painting of the House on behalf of the Prime Minister in 1999; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The presentation of the painting, which was signed by the leaders of the three main political parties as well as a large number of Members of Parliament from all sides, was not carried out on my behalf. I understand from Lord Sainsbury that he presented it in a personal capacity and that at the event members of the three main parties were also present.

Mr. Nadhmi Auchi

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has met Mr. Nadhmi Auchi officially since 1997; where these meetings took place; who was present; when they took place; what the substance of these discussions was; how many times he has spoken to Mr. Nadhmi Auchi by telephone since 1997; and what was discussed on each occasion.

Tony Blair: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.